Northern Health, as well as B.C., continue to see COVID-19 cases climb.
Health officials this afternoon (Sept. 24) reported 148 new positive tests across the province during the past 24 hours for a new grand total of 8,543.
There were five recorded in Northern Health for an authority total of 278.
Dr. Bonnie Henry announced there are 1,371 active cases in B.C. which includes 61 in hospital and 20 in critical care.
Two more have died from the virus, bringing the fatality rate to 229.
Henry says there are now 6,917 people who've recovered from COVID-19, while 3,417 are under active public health monitoring as a result of exposure to known cases.
She also confirmed today the second virus-linked death in northern B.C., a 60-year-old woman, was an elder in the Nak'azdli Whut'en band, the same territory where a third school in the region was added to Northern Health's possible COVID-19 exposure list earlier today.
Nak’albun Elementary School is now listed with possible exposure dates between Sept. 16 and 18.
The independent institution is located on Nak'azdli Whut'en territory, more than 160 km northwest of Prince George in Fort St. James.
The First Nation band runs and operates the school, which takes in an average of 100 students each year, according to the district's website.
Dawson Creek's École Frank Ross Elementary (SD59) was the first reported exposure, with Quesnel Junior Secondary (SD28) as the second.
Both schools were potentially exposed between Sept. 10 and 11.
Should a student or teacher receive a positive COVID-19 test, Northern Heath's school notification process is as follows:
- Contact tracing is initiated to determine how the individual was infected and who they were in close contact with
- We identify and notify close contacts who may be at an increased risk, and advise them to self-isolate and monitor for symptoms for 14 days
- Only Public Health can determine who is a close contact
- Learning groups, friends or other connections may not be determined to be a close contact
- Public Health staff works closely with the school and school district throughout the case and contact management process to maintain close communication with the school community
- with files from Kyle Balzer, PrinceGeorgeMatters
