Northern Health is implementing enhanced COVID-19 precautions at Peace Villa in Fort St. John, following lab confirmation of a single COVID-positive case in a worker at the site.
Communication with Peace Villa staff, residents, and families is underway for what is now the second care-home outbreak in northern B.C.
At this time, there is no evidence of transmission of illness among staff or residents within the Peace Villa facility.
As a precaution, NH Medical Health Officers have declared a facility outbreak, based on the criteria for declaring an outbreak in long-term care settings. In this case, it is a single lab-confirmed case in someone who worked during their potential infectious period.
NH care facilities have implemented very clear policies and procedures for COVID-19 infection prevention and control, and the risk of transmission to residents, staff and physicians in a health care facility is considered low.
Northern Health is working with staff to identify anyone who may have been exposed, and is taking steps to protect the health of all Peace Villa staff, residents and families with the following additional precautions in place:
- Cleaning and infection control measures have been enhanced
- Staff and resident movement in the facility has been restricted
- Staffing levels will be maintained to provide resident care
- Temporary suspension of social visits (essential visits are not impacted, and can continue)
The precautionary outbreak declaration will be in place until at least Nov. 25, which is 14 days after any potential exposure to the confirmed case within the facility.
If there is still no evidence of transmission of illness within the facility after that time, the outbreak can be declared over, and social visits will be able to resume.
There have now been 552 positive tests for COVID-19 in northern B.C. after 13 new ones were reported by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry today (Nov. 18).
Two residents at Rotary Manor in Dawson Creek died this past weekend from the virus as the fourth and fifth fatalities in Northern Health.
An outbreak is still in effect for the care home.
