Another Oliver long-term care home resident dies in outbreak

The outbreak at a South Okanagan care home has claimed another life.

Over the weekend, a resident of the Sunnybank long-term care home in Oliver died, bringing the death toll at the facility to six, according to an Interior Health media release issued today, Feb. 8.

So far, there have been 38 cases at the care home including 27 residents and 11 staff or others. There are eight active cases.

The two other deaths in the Interior Health region over the weekend were in hospital or the community.

"Their deaths are a tragic loss for our communities which serve as a clear reminder to all of us the importance of following public health orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and to protect ourselves and loved ones during this challenging time," Interior Health president and CEO Susan Brown said in a press release issued this afternoon, Feb. 8.

Interior Health provided this update on the other outbreaks in the region:

• Westsyde Care Residence group home in Kamloops has 26 cases, consisting of 14 residents and 12 staff with 24 cases still active.
• Royal Inland Hospital has 102 cases, consisting of 36 patients and 66 staff, with one death amongst 46 currently active cases.
• Cariboo Memorial Hospital has 14 cases, including 12 staff and two patients. There are no active cases currently associated with this outbreak.
• Brocklehurst Gemstone long-term care in Kamloops has 25 cases, consisting of 17 residents and eight staff, with two deaths connected to this outbreak. There are two active cases.
• Creekside Landing long-term care in Vernon has 40 cases, consisting of 25 residents and 15 staff, with one death connected to this outbreak. There are four active cases.
• Noric House long-term care in Vernon has 68 cases, consisting of 39 residents and 29 staff, with nine deaths connected to this outbreak. There are 12 active cases.
• Heritage Square long-term care in Vernon has 68 cases, consisting of 47 residents and 21 staff, with nine deaths connected to this outbreak. There are six active cases.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to tips@infonews.ca and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.