Interior Health (IH) is reporting 20 new cases tied to spread at Big White, bringing the cluster to a total of 96 cases.
Of the known cases, 69 reside on the mountain. Sixty-four individuals have recovered and nobody tied to the cluster has been hospitalized.
COVID-19 cluster at @BigWhite grows to 96 cases as @Interior_Health confirms 20 new cases today.
Sixty-nine of those people reside on the mountain. Sixty-four people have recovered; none in hospital.
— Michael Rodriguez (@MichaelRdrguez) December 22, 2020
“These new cases were expected, many of these new cases were on isolation already as they had shared their household with confirmed cases. What we hope to see in the days ahead is a reduction in the new cases which will show our case follow-up and the additional safety measures are working. I want to thank Big White leadership, local residents, staff, and guests for doing their part to limit further exposures,” said IH medical health officer Dr. Silvina Mema.
“We know that skiing and enjoying winter activities outdoors are important and we want this to be a great ski season. It is safe to enjoy the outdoors, and we ask that everyone follows all public health orders by staying to your local hill, skiing with your household bubble and following all safety protocols ski hills have in place.”
IH has worked with the Kootenay Boundary Regional District and community leadership to implement self-isolation housing on the mountain for people with the virus to recover safely.
The health authority is again reminding everyone in the Big White community to avoid social gatherings and that socializing must be limited to immediate household bubbles.
Outreach COVID-19 testing will continue to take place throughout Big White, but the health authority’s next planned update on the cluster is Tuesday, Dec. 29, due to statutory holidays over the weekend.
READ MORE: Interior Health ‘cautiously optimistic’ following drop in COVID-19 cases, testing at Big White
READ MORE: Kelowna RCMP changes approach to Big White policing amid COVID-19 concerns
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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