Four more COVID-19 deaths in Interior Health region

COVID-19 has claimed four additional deaths in the Interior Health region in the past 24 hours.

The health authority reported the region's 66th death this afternoon, Jan. 26, with three deaths in long-term care homes and one community/hospital death.

One death occurred at Noric long-term House in Vernon, with two additional deaths reported at Sunnybank long-term care home in Oliver and one death in the community, according to an IH media release.

"Our sympathies go out to the loved ones and the caregivers of the four people we lost today due to COVID-19. I know that when we think about our own family and friends, and keeping them safe, that is our motivation to focus on following public health orders. It will take all of us to get through these challenging days across Interior Health and around B.C.,” Interior Health president and Chief Executive Officer Susan Brown said in the release.

An update on long-term care home outbreaks in the region is as follows:

• Royal Inland Hospital has 51 cases, made up of 19 patients and 32 staff, with one death.
• Cariboo Memorial Hospital has 13 staff cases.
• Brocklehurst Gemstone long-term care in Kamloops has 23 cases affecting 16 residents and seven staff, with two deaths connected to this outbreak.
• Sunnybank long-term care in Oliver has 37 cases consisting of 27 residents and 10 staff. Five deaths are now connected to this outbreak.
• Creekside Landing long-term care in Vernon has 37 cases made up of 24 residents and 13 staff, with one death connected to this outbreak.
• Noric House long-term care in Vernon has 61 cases consisting of 36 residents and 25 staff, now with six deaths connected to this outbreak.
• Heritage Square long-term care in Vernon has 68 cases: 47 residents and 21 staff, with eight deaths connected to this outbreak.
• Heritage Retirement Residence in West Kelowna has 46 cases, made up of 41 residents and five staff, with three deaths connected to this outbreak.

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