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78 cases linked to cluster

Another Kelowna site where Covid exposure may have occurred

Jul 23, 2020 | 9:39 AM

Interior Health has identified another location in Kelowna where individuals may have been exposed to COVID-19.

People who visited Browns Socialhouse on Harvey Avenue on July 13 or July 16-19 are asked to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and to get tested if they begin to show symptoms.

There are now 78 cases linked to the COVID cluster in Kelowna.

Sixty-six of those are residents of Interior Health with the others from Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health.

One more Covid case has been confirmed among employees at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH), bringing the total number to seven.

“Like the initial cases, this is a community case and not acquired in hospital. No patients have been impacted and the risk to patients and staff at the hospital remains low,” said a news release from Interior Health.

There have been five locations in Kelowna since the beginning of the month where people could have been exposed to Covid-19.

Interior Health has now added a page to its website listing the locations and dates involved.

Go to interiorhealth.ca and click on the Covid-19 link which will take you to a Public Exposures list or just click here.

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Interior Health COVID-19 update (news release)

Further testing of individuals has allowed Interior Health (IH) to identify an additional location in Kelowna where individuals may have been exposed to COVID-19.

Individuals who visited Browns Socialhouse, 100-1544 Harvey Avenue, on July 13 or July 16-19 are asked to self-monitor themselves closely for symptoms of COVID-19 and to get tested if they begin to exhibit symptoms.

Public health contact tracing is under way, and where possible, IH is reaching out directly to individuals who have been exposed.

Individuals seeking a test should call their primary care provider (family physician or nurse practitioner) or the closest Interior Health community testing and assessment centre.

COVID-19 testing

Testing is recommended for anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Loss of sense of taste or smell
  • Other milder symptoms may include: runny nose, fatigue, body aches (muscles and joints aching), diarrhea, headache, sore throat, vomiting and red eyes.

IH reminds everyone of the importance of following COVID-19 precautions:

  • Stay home and avoid travel if you have symptoms, even mild ones.
  • Maintain physical distancing (two metres apart) and use masks when distancing is not possible.
  • Wash your hands regularly and do not touch your face.
  • Do not plan or attend gatherings of more than 50 people. Limit gatherings to out of doors whenever possible.

Kelowna community cases

As reported by the Provincial Health Officer today, there are now 78 cases linked to the COVID-19 cluster in Kelowna. Sixty-six of those are individuals are from Interior Health (others are from Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health).

As part of the ongoing investigations, one additional case of COVID-19 has been confirmed among employees at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH), bringing the total number of cases among health care workers to seven. Like the initial cases, this is a community case and not acquired in hospital. No patients have been impacted and the risk to patients and staff at the hospital remains low.

Information on public exposures to COVID-19 within the Interior Health region are available here: https://news.interiorhealth.ca/news/public-exposures/

Answers to frequently asked questions are available on the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control website, available here: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/common-questions

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