3 COVID-19 outbreaks over, 5 more declared on Vancouver Island, health authority says
Three COVID-19 outbreaks in health-care facilities on Vancouver Island are now over, but five new ones have been declared, Island Health says.
The new outbreaks are at Selkirk Seniors Village Assisted Living, Luther Court long-term care home, The Heights at Mt. View long-term care home, James Bay long-term care home and Royal Jubilee Hospital, all located in Victoria.
The health authority says in a news release that one resident at Selkirk Seniors Village Assisted Living has tested positive for COVID-19. The outbreak is limited to the facility's sixth floor, and is not related to another ongoing outbreak in the long-term care portion of Selkirk Seniors Village.
At Luther Court, three staff cases and two resident cases have been detected in the care home's 2 East unit, Island Health says.
The Heights at Mt. View has seen one staff case and one resident case on the fourth floor, and James Bay long-term care home has seen three resident cases confirmed on its fifth and six floors.
At Royal Jubilee Hospital, three patients on the 8 South East general medicine unit have tested positive, according to the health authority. No other areas of the hospital are affected.
Each site has been closed to admissions and transfers, and other outbreak protocols - including limits on staff movement and an end to congregate dining and group activities - have been implemented, Island Health says.
Three other outbreaks on the island are now over, according to Island Health. Eden Gardens in Nanaimo saw a total of four residents test positive during its outbreak, Kiwanis Village Lodge in Nanaimo saw just one, and Amica Douglas House in Victoria saw four staff cases.
"Staff at all of these homes are to be commended for their excellent work delivering high quality, compassionate care under challenging circumstances," the health authority says in its news release.
B.C. has seen a dramatic increase in the number of COVID-19 outbreaks at health-care facilities in recent weeks. As recently as Dec. 22, there were no active outbreaks in the province.
By Friday, there were 46 active outbreaks, including 11 on Vancouver Island. Included in the Island Health total were the three outbreaks that have now ended, plus the newly declared Royal Jubilee outbreak.
The other four new outbreaks bring Vancouver Island's total to at least 12.
Hundreds of residents and staff members at long-term care homes have tested positive during the latest, Omicron-variant-driven surge in COVID-19 outbreaks. As of the latest update from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control this week, however, only seven deaths had been connected to the latest outbreaks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.