Northern Health Medical Officers have declared another COVID-19 outbreak at the University Hospital of Northern B.C. (UHNBC).
This outbreak is on the Internal Medicine Unit (IMU) following lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 after seven patients have tested positive in association with the unit.
Northern Health Public Health is closely monitoring for additional cases, and the facility is taking steps to protect the health of staff and those they care for, with enhanced outbreak control measures such as (but not limited to):
- Increased frequency of cleaning and infection control measures
- Enhanced symptom monitoring among all UHNBC staff and patients
- Limiting movement of staff and patients between care areas of the hospital
- Restricting the unit to essential visitors only
At this time, the IMU outbreak is not considered to be related to an outbreak declared Sep. 25, on the Primary Care Medical Unit (PCMU).
To date, 20 patients and seven staff have tested positive in association with the PCMU outbreak. 16 of the outbreak-associated cases remain active.
Public health officials will be monitoring the situation carefully over coming weeks and will only declare the outbreak over when they are confident that chains of transmission have been stopped.
To date, 20 patients and seven staff have tested positive in association with the PCMU outbreak, 16 of the outbreak-associated cases remain active.
Public health officials will be monitoring the situation carefully over coming weeks and will only declare the outbreak over when they are confident that chains of transmission have been stopped.
An outbreak at the Jubilee Lodge long-term care facility next to UNHBC currently has no active cases, however.
The outbreak was first declared on Sept. 5 and has since claimed six lives.
An earlier COVID-19 outbreak at Jubilee Lodge from December 2020 to February 2021 claimed the lives of 17 residents.
