A resident of a White Rock care home is among the newest cases of confirmed COVID-19.
READ MORE: B.C. screening care home workers as two more test positive for COVID-19
Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the case – at Evergreen Heights, an assisted-living residence – during a briefing Tuesday afternoon.
Evergreen, located at 1501 Everall St., was among two facilities added to the list of residential-care centres where outbreaks have been identified. The second was Little Mountain Place Residential Care in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.
“In both those cases, a single person – a staff person and a resident, in the case of Evergreen Heights – have tested positive,” Henry said.
“The outbreak protocols are being implemented at both those facilities, and continue at the other long-term care and assisted-living facilities where we have identified outbreaks.”
Henry said cases are “escalating… across British Columbia.”
“No community is immune,” she said.
In a news release Wednesday morning, White Rock Mayor Darryl Walker said the local case is a reminder of the need to be vigilant in efforts to not spread the virus.
“Knowing one of our immediate neighbours has this terrible virus makes it even more important for us to take very seriously our role in flattening the curve,” Walker said.
“People must wash their hands, and avoid going out unless necessary. We still encourage people to get out for fresh air. When you do, please practise social distancing, which is a critical element in stopping the spread of the virus.”
White Rock’s senior management team is assessing the COVID-19 situation every weekday, the release adds.
March 23, Henry announced the province was stepping up screening and protection measures for long-term care homes after two more staff members tested positive for COVID-19 at facilities in Vancouver and Delta.
She said Tuesday that the outbreaks are a reflection of the challenges of having residential-care staff working at multiple facilities, and that “urgent” efforts are underway to “sort that out” by the end of this week.
Henry said positive news is that B.C. has not recorded any additional deaths due to COVID-19.
That number remained at 13 on Tuesday afternoon.
In addition, 173 of those who tested positive for the virus – out of a total 617 to date – have fully recovered, she said.
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