Outbreak at Kelowna long-term care facility

Interior Health has declared an outbreak at Cottonwoods Care Centre in Kelowna.

Two staff members and 10 residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Contact tracing is occurring and anyone in close contact with these individuals will be contacted and provided direction on self-isolation and monitoring for symptoms.

Cottonwood Care Centre is a long-term care facility operated by Interior Health. It has 221 publicly funded long-term care beds. Interior Health will continue to monitor the situation, while implementing additional infection control and preventive measures.

To protect the safety of all residents, outbreak protocols are in place, including a pause in all visits.

Interior Health continues to take steps to protect the health of all staff, individuals in care and families at long-term care homes. This includes:

· Ensuring long-term care staff members are only working at one care home (as per the provincial single site order).

· Monitoring of all residents for respiratory symptoms and doing COVID-19 testing on anyone with COVID-19 symptoms.

· Enhanced cleaning protocols and COVID-19 visitor policies.

· Offering vaccine to all residents and staff.