IH says it’s safe to come to Kelowna General Hospital, despite Covid cases

Interior Health is reporting six cases of Covid-19 among employees at Kelowna General Hospital.

“IH’s investigation indicates these cases are connected to the cluster of cases in the community from early July,” said a news release issued by the health agency Friday afternoon.

“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.”

IH protocols and Ministry of Health recommendations dictate that staff experiencing symptoms must stay home from work.

“We are confident that the individuals impacted by this current situation are following this direction,” said the release.

“It is important that anyone requiring medical care at the hospital feels confident in coming to KGH.”

—-Interior Health news release—-

Don’t let COVID-19 steal our summer

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!

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.

Everyone’s priority should be to bend the curve in Kelowna.

Be Safe:

Stay home and get tested if you are sick.

Maintain physical distancing of greater than two metres.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Wear a mask when physical distancing cannot be maintained.

Have Safe Gatherings:

Fewer faces in bigger spaces. Limit your gatherings to small groups and hold them outside.

Keep gatherings to people you know and keep track of who attends, so we can contact them if someone gets infected. If you host a gathering, assign a designated person to record the names and contact information of those that attend.

Limiting gathering size in private residences to six people.

If you have family or friends at risk of severe disease, you should be very careful about attending social gatherings.

An update on these situations will be provided on Monday, July 20.