Interior Health reports Salmo COVID cases increase to 24, BC announces weekend total of 1,933 new cases
By Nelson Daily Staff
In a media release Monday, Interior Health said it has identified one additional case in the Salmo community cluster of cases within the Salmo area extending south from Nelson – an increase from 23 to 24 in this area since the last report Thursday.
The news comes on the same day Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, said the province had 1,933 new cases of COVID-19, including 11 epi-linked cases, over a three-day period from November 20-23.
Additionally, Dr. Henry reported 17 new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 348 deaths in British Columbia.
“This (additional) case is a contact identified from earlier cases,” said the Interior Health release.
“There remains no evidence of widespread transmission and overall cases in the region remain stable from last week, which shows public health measures and the fact residents are taking precautions is limiting further spread.”
“We’d like to thank the village, schools, businesses and residents for supporting efforts to contain this cluster,” Interior Health added.
The Village of Salmo said on its website, staff will tentatively reopen the office for appointments on Monday, November 30th from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To book an appointment, email appointment@salmo.ca
During the same three-day period, Interior Health reported 104 new cases since Friday, for a total of 1,307.
Interior Health said there are 272 active cases and on isolation with three people in hospital and no one in ICU.
Interior Health also released an update regarding the outbreak at the Royal Inland Patient Care construction in Kamloops.
Interior Health said there are 13 cases are directly linked to this outbreak. Interior Health said additional cases are not new, but identified through ongoing contact tracing.
Dr. Henry said there is a total of 7,360 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, with 277 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and 58 of whom are in intensive care.
Dr. Henry said the remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.
“Currently, 10,200 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases and 19,069 people who tested positive have recovered.
Dr. Henry said there are had 414 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 1,304 in the Fraser Health region, 48 in the Island Health region, 104 in the Interior Health region, 61 in the Northern Health region and two new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.
“We have six new health-care facility outbreaks at North Peace Seniors Housing Society, Queen’s Park CareLife Fleetwood, Sunset Manor, Renfrew Care Centre and Lions Gate Hospital,” Dr. Henry said.
“The outbreaks at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, The Harrison at Elim Village, Dania Home, Suncreek Village and the Evergreen Baptist Care Society are over.
“There have been no new community outbreaks.
“We’re in a very challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic and we are asking for everyone’s help to slow the spread of the virus in our province,” Dr. Henry added.
“As we have seen, this virus doesn’t pause when we are tired and doesn’t wait for us to catch up.”
Dr. Henry said the PHO has provided further details of how the orders apply to homes, workplaces and businesses, and where the exceptions may be. This information is available at: www.gov.bc.ca/covid19
For more details on the provincial health officer’s (PHO) Nov. 19 orders, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/covid19
