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February 25, 2021 - 3:23 PM
Even though the COVID-19 outbreak at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops was declared over earlier this week, two more people have died, bringing the death toll there to six.
In addition, one person has died as the result of the COVID outbreak that was declared at Kelowna General Hospital on Monday.
Just because an outbreak is declared over doesn’t mean that people are not still sick from the disease and at risk of dying, Interior Health chief medical health officer Dr. Albert de Villiers said during a news briefing today, Feb. 25.
“An outbreak specifically means, at that stage, the cases are increasing and there is sustained spread within the population,” he explained. “As soon as that changes, we can actually call that outbreak over because there is no sustained spread anymore within that population. There’s no high number of new cases happening every day and people spreading it from person to person.
“But, there could be a person who got sick a week or two ago, who deteriorated, ended up in ICU then passed away. It’s still connected to that outbreak but the outbreak isn’t active anymore.”
There could also be an occasional new infection once the outbreak is declared over, he said.
In all, 69 staff and 36 patients were infected through the Royal Inland outbreak and six people died.
READ MORE: Deadly COVID-19 outbreak declared over at Kamloops's Royal Inland Hospital
The outbreak at Kelowna General Hospital has, so far, infected five patients and one staff member with the one death.
There have been 67 cases, including 39 residents and 10 deaths at Noric House in Vernon, 30 cases and two deaths at the Westsyde care home in Kamloops and 32 cases with two deaths at the Brocklehurst Gemstone facility in Kamloops.
Dr. de Villiers expects those outbreaks to be declared over in a week or so and, given the amount of vaccinations in long-term care homes, he’s hoping there will be no new outbreaks.
READ MORE: COVID-19 outbreak at Kelowna General Hospital contained to one unit
To date, more than 30,000 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the Interior Health region and the focus now is on getting second doses into those that need them and picking up any eligible people who have missed being vaccinated in Phase 1.
Details on how Phase 2 will roll out for those over the age of 80 and others will be announced by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on Monday.
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