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6 deaths, 194 new cases of COVID-19 in Interior Health over the weekend

Seventy-four people have died due to the virus in the region since the pandemic began
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A health-care worker prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a UHN COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Toronto on Thursday, January 7, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Interior Health (IH) is reporting six more deaths and 194 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend.

Three of the six deaths came from Okanagan care homes — two in Vernon at Noric House and Heritage Square, and one in West Kelowna at Heritage Retirement Residence. The other three deaths happened in the community or hospital. This brings the region’s total COVID-19 death-toll to 74, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.

“While some of these individuals were living in long-term care homes, others were members of our community who passed in hospital,” said Susan Brown, IH’s president and CEO. “I want to offer my condolences to the families and caregivers. We all have a role to play in limiting the spread of COVID-19, so continue to use your layers of protection, stick to your immediate household and only travel if absolutely necessary to help us fight this pandemic, together.”

Across the region, 50 people are hospitalized with the virus, 18 of whom are in intensive care. A total of 965 cases across the region remain active.

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The health authority provided the following update on outbreaks:

  • Outbreak declared at Westsyde Care Residences in Kamloops. There are nine residents and three staff connected to this outbreak.
  • Royal Inland Hospital has 81 total cases: 30 patients and 51 staff, with one death connected to this outbreak.
  • Cariboo Memorial Hospital has 14 cases: 12 staff and two patients. (the patients are not new cases, but are previous cases now being connected to the outbreak identified during the investigation)
  • Brocklehurst Gemstone long-term care in Kamloops has 24 cases: 16 residents and eight staff, with two deaths connected to this outbreak.
  • Sunnybank long-term care in Oliver has 37 cases: 27 residents, 10 staff, with five deaths connected to this outbreak.
  • Creekside Landing long-term care in Vernon has 40 cases: 25 residents and 15 staff, with one death connected to this outbreak.
  • Noric House long-term care in Vernon has 67 cases: 38 residents and 29 staff, with nine deaths connected to this outbreak.
  • Heritage Square long-term care in Vernon has 68 cases: 47 residents and 21 staff, with nine deaths connected to this outbreak.
  • Heritage Retirement Residence in West Kelowna has 46 cases: 41 residents and five staff, with four deaths connected to this outbreak.

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com


@michaelrdrguez
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