COVID-19 outbreaks declared at Victoria, Nanaimo hospitals
Vancouver Island's health authority has declared three new COVID-19 outbreaks, including two outbreaks at hospitals in Nanaimo and Victoria.
Islands Health says nine cases have now been linked to an outbreak at Victoria General Hospital.
The outbreak was identified in a pair of neuromedicine units (6A and 6B) and is believed to be confined to those areas.
"VGH remains a safe place to attend and people should not avoid seeking emergency care, should they need it," Island Health said in a statement Tuesday night.
Nanaimo Regional General Hospital is also in the midst of an outbreak, with five cases identified at the hospital. The outbreak is limited to the fifth floor.
Island Health says those who need emergency care should not avoid the Nanaimo hospital due to the outbreak.
A second new outbreak in Nanaimo has been identified at the Nanaimo Seniors Village assisted-living centre.
Two COVID-19 cases have been identified in residents. Island Health says the long-term care portion of the facility has not been affected.
The case numbers reported in all three outbreaks have been confirmed through testing or through contact tracing, Island Health said.
OUTBREAKS DECLARED OVER
Three other COVID-19 outbreaks on Vancouver Island are now considered over.
Island Health says the outbreak at Luther Court long-term care home in Victoria resulted in three resident cases and four staff cases before it was contained.
An outbreak at the Sidney All Care long-term care home in Sidney resulted in one resident case, while a nearby outbreak at the Sidney Care Home long-term care home also resulted in a single case. Both outbreaks are now considered over.
"Staff at these sites are to be commended for their excellent work delivering high quality, compassionate care under challenging circumstances," Island Health said. "Outbreak protocols will now be ended at the sites. Enhanced infection prevention and control measures and monitoring of staff and residents for symptoms will continue."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.