13 affected by KGH outbreak, over 1,000 hospitalizations in B.C.

The latest COVID-19 outbreak at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) has impacted 13 patients, according to Interior Health (IH).

Meanwhile, in the past 72 hours, 19 new COVID-related deaths have been reported across the province, for an overall total of 2,616. Eight deaths happened across IH.

Over a thousand people are now in hospitals across B.C. with the virus.

The outbreak at KGH, in the Rehab Unit, was declared Jan.28, the day after an outbreak in Unit 3W ended. That unit handles general and thoracic surgery.

In an email statement, IH said there are currently 13 patient cases connected to the KGH outbreak. Additional infection control measures have been implemented including putting a pause on admissions, pausing non-essential visitors, and testing patients and staff.

KGH is not the only acute care facility with a COVID-19 outbreak, with Langley Memorial, Royal Jubilee, Victoria General, Nanaimo Regional and Cowichan District hospitals also dealing with the problem.

There are five other COVID-19 outbreaks at long term care facilities in the area listed by IH.

A new outbreak was declared Monday, at Spring Valley Centre long term care facility in Kelowna.

Four other outbreaks were declared earlier in January: at Cottonwoods short stay unit in Kelowna, declared Jan.24; the Dove, Grouse and Quail units at Glenmore Lodge (Jan.20); Village at Smith Creek in West Kelowna (Jan. 16); and Lakeview Lodge in Kelowna (Jan.11).

In a media briefing Friday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said 40 per cent of COVID-related deaths in 2021 were in long-term care facilities.

Latest numbers

On Monday, B.C. reported 4,075 new COVID-19 cases over a three-day period from Friday through Sunday.

Of those, 1,182 cases were across the Interior Health region.

Eight of the 19 deaths reported over the three-day period were in Interior Health.

Of the active cases provincewide, 1,048 COVID-positive individuals are currently in hospital and 138 are in intensive care.

For Monday, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) reported 281 new cases in Interior Health. There were 163 hospitalizations, an increase of 42 compared to the numbers reported on Friday. There were 27 people receiving critical care, an increase of five.