Kelowna, Penticton outbreaks come to end

No new cases at Mountainview, Village by Station

Outbreaks of COVID-19 at two Okanagan care homes where three people died and dozens were sickened have been declared over.

Two incubation periods of the disease, totalling 28 days, have now passed without anyone else at Mountainview Village in Kelowna or Village by the Station in Penticton showing symptoms of the disease.

“All outbreaks are challenging and I’m happy to declare two more COVID-19 outbreaks over,” Dr. Albert de Villiers, Interior Health’s chief medical health officer, said in a Wednesday news bulletin.

“It’s important everyone continues to follow precautions to limit the spread of the virus in our communities so we can protect our most vulnerable people.”

Eight residents of the long-term care wing at Mountainview Village on KLO Road in Kelowna, as well as eight staff, tested positive for the disease; two residents died.

At Village by the Station, five residents and five staff contracted the disease; one resident died.

Susan Brown, IH president and CEO, praised efforts to limit the spread of the disease at the two longterm care homes.

“Staff were able to limit the spread within the facilities while ensuring the people living there received the best possible care,” Brown said. “On behalf of everyone at Interior Health, we send our condolences to the families who lost a loved one during this difficult time.”

All eligible residents and staff at the two care homes have now been offered the first dose of vaccinations against COVID-19. Mountainview Village and Village by the Station are managed by Good Samaritan Society.

While the two outbreaks were declared over, three more deaths due to COVID-19 were reported Wednesday in the Interior Health region. Two people died at Noric House, a longterm care home in Vernon, and one person died in hospital.

Eight outbreaks continue at hospitals or care homes in Interior Health. Heritage Retirement Residence in West Kelowna has 46 cases, consisting of 41 residents and five staff; three residents of the building on Brown Road have died due to the disease.

At Creekside Landing, a long-term care home in Vernon, 20 residents and 12 staff have COVID-19.

Province-wide, another 500 new cases were reported. Just over 98,000 British Columbians have now been vaccinated against COVID-19.