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88 new COVID-19 cases reported in Island Health; outbreak declared at care home

B.C. reported 1,428 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend — including 88 in Island Health — for a total of 80,672 cases in the province since the pandemic began. There are 4,464 people with active cases in B.C.
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Vancouver Island Health Authority office.

B.C. reported 1,428 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend — including 88 in Island Health — for a total of 80,672 cases in the province since the pandemic began.

There are 4,464 people with active cases in B.C., of whom 236 are hospitalized and 65 are in intensive care.

Forty-two new cases are variants of concern, for a total of 158 cases. The majority — 137 cases — are the strain first identified in the United Kingdom, while 21 are the variant first found in South Africa.

There have been eight new deaths linked to COVID-19, for a total of 1,363 fatalities connected to the virus in B.C.

The province reported new outbreaks at four health-care facilities, including Glacier View Lodge, a long-term care home in Courtenay.

Island Health said one staff person has tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating, and no residents are experiencing symptoms.

COVID-19 tests will be performed on staff and residents who had contact with the affected staff member.

Glacier View Lodge is a not-for-profit long-term care home operated by Glacier View Lodge Society. The outbreak is limited to two wings within the facility, the health authority said.

As a result of the outbreak, admissions are restricted, visits are restricted to essential visitors, staff and resident movement in the facility has been restricted, and cleaning and infection control measures have been enhanced.

Two other Island outbreaks — at Wexford Creek and Eden Gardens, both in Nanaimo — have been declared over.

Meanwhile, Drinkwater Elementary School in Duncan is warning of potential COVID-19 exposure last Thursday.

The school posted a letter on Facebook from Island Health to the school stating that a member of the school community tested positive for the virus.

Island Health is carrying out contact tracing to identify staff or students who may need to self-isolate or watch for symptoms.

There were also exposures at David Cameron Elementary School on Meaford Avenue in Victoria on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, Island Health said on its website.

The school posted a letter on Facebook from Island Health to the school stating that a member of the school community tested positive for the virus.

Island Health is carrying out contact tracing to identify staff or students who may need to self-isolate or watch for symptoms.

There were also exposures at David Cameron Elementary School on Meaford Avenue in Victoria on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, Island Health said on its website.

Thrifty Foods had two exposures at its Courtenay store on Cliffe Avenue on Feb. 20 and on Feb. 23. The information was posted on Sobey’s website, the parent company.