As candidates from all political parties lay out their health-care priorities ahead of the provincial election on Oct. 19, the BC Nurses’ Union in a media release the union is calling on all election candidates to sign a pledge and demonstrate their support for the implementation of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios across all care settings in […]

Interior Health said in a media release Monday that it has identified a cluster of pertussis (whooping cough) in the community of Nelson. Interior Health said that pertussis is a contagious bacterial disease of the lungs and throat that is easily spread through coughing or sneezing by an infected person. “The infection can spread to […]

People in in the Kootenay Boundary will have increased access to a new MRI suite at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH) in Trail. “People living in the Kootenay Boundary will have access to timely scans through this new state-of-the-art MRI suite, providing increased diagnostic testing close to home,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “This […]

The Province is moving forward with new guidelines to protect students and reduce the risks and harms of toxic-drug poisonings. “Our post-secondary campuses should be a safe space for students, staff and faculty,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. “That’s why the Province has worked with the post-secondary sector to create […]

Residents of the Pavilion long-term care home in New Denver are now home following the lifting of a local evacuation alert and the re-opening of Highway 6. Residents were moved to alternate locations on July 25 due to risks associated with the Slocan Complex fire. Interior Health would like to thank all partners involved for […]

Dr. Bonnie Henry, British Columbia’s provincial health officer (PHO), has issued the following statement: “As British Columbia’s provincial health officer, I am issuing an order to end the public-health emergency for COVID-19 and rescinding all related orders. “Since March 2020, we have been in a provincial public-health emergency to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. While […]

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued heat warnings for multiple areas in the Interior Health region. The Province has not declared an extreme heat emergency for this region. With elevated temperatures, the risk of heat-related illness increases. The BC Centre for Disease Control provides a broad range of heat-related guidance on its website, including information on the […]

People throughout British Columbia are encouraged to be prepared for heat as many regions of the province will experience high temperatures beginning Friday, July 5, 2024. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has forecast increasingly hot temperatures for many parts of the province this weekend, and the Province is reminding people to plan ahead to […]

A year into the 10-Year Cancer Care Action Plan to build capacity and expand access to cancer-care services to meet growing demand, more people in B.C. are benefiting from expanded screening, more access to diagnostic tests and better treatment. “The progress we have made in enhancing cancer care in just one year is a testament […]

Spring is here and the warmer weather means more people will be out hiking in tall grass or wooded areas. This can also mean an increased chance of getting tick bites. Ticks are small bugs that bite and feed on the blood of humans and animals and can sometimes transmit disease. Fortunately, there are precautions […]