East Kootenay residents who may need to visit Kelowna General Hospital, take note.

As part of the ongoing investigations, six cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed among employees at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). Interior Health’s (IH) investigation indicates these cases are connected to the cluster of cases in the community from early July.

At this time there are no impacts on our services at KGH and we have no indication that any patients have been exposed to the disease.

As per IH protocols and Ministry of Health recommendations, staff experiencing symptoms must stay home from work. We are confident that the individuals impacted by this current situation are following this direction.

It is important that anyone requiring medical care at the hospital feels confident in coming to KGH, IH noted in a media release.

“As we continue to see an increase in cases related to social events and businesses in downtown Kelowna, our health team is asking everyone to work together as a community to stop the transmission of COVID-19. Don’t let it steal your summer,” IH stated.

The cases that have been identified recently are generally in a younger demographic of individuals in their 20s and 30s. However, there is risk that if this continues, it may spread to people who are more vulnerable, including those who are older or who have serious health conditions.

We all must follow the directions set out by the Provincial Health Officer as we continue to enjoy our summer in Interior Health. Today, Dr. Bonnie Henry appealed to young people to use their social media skills to help share the message about practising the safety measures that will protect us all, particularly older adults and people with chronic health conditions, IH urges.

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