Interior Health has declared the COVID-19 outbreak over at the Sunnybank long-term care home in Oliver.

“I want to thank the staff and administrators for their dedication during this challenging outbreak and for everything they did to bring it to a close,” said Susan Brown, Interior Health president and CEO. “The Oliver community has been hit hard by COVID-19 outbreaks and on behalf of everyone at Interior Health, I extend our condolences to the families of the loved ones of those who passed away during the outbreak.”

An outbreak is declared over when two incubation periods, or 28 days, have passed from the last onset of symptoms in a resident.

“I’m happy we are able to declare another COVID-19 outbreak over,” said Dr. Albert de Villiers, IH chief medical health officer. “As COVID-19 vaccination continues to roll-out, we will be able to protect more of our most vulnerable members of our communities and prevent ongoing outbreaks in the future.”

There were 38 cases of COVID-19 linked to the outbreak at Sunnybank: 27 residents, 10 staff and one essential visitor. Sadly, six residents passed away due to COVID.

The outbreak at McKinney Place in Oliver was declared over Jan. 18. By then it had claimed 17 lives.

There were 78 COVID-19 cases linked to that outbreak: 55 residents and 23 staff.

Most residents and staff at both these care homes have been given the first dose of the vaccine.

There are now no active care home outbreaks in the South Okanagan.

READ MORE: McKinney Place outbreak the most challenging of them all — IH

Penticton Western News