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We're still waiting to hear if the "outbreak" at the Hawthorn Park retirement complex in Kelowna has grown beyond the single infected staff member. It was announced Thursday that Interior Health was dealing with a positive test involving a worker at the KLO Road retirement home.
Interior Health CEO Susan Brown said testing is underway in the case, along with detailed contact tracing with the staff member with COVID-19.
Answers should come soon, but as for how the staff member came into contact with the virus will likely remain a mystery.
"When you're working in a long term facility there will be contacts of some nature, so everybody's been followed-up with and we're in a waiting period right now," she said,
"because sometimes symptoms can take a few days to show."
The public is expected to hear if other residents or staff have also been affected.
There is a chance it goes no further. There was a single case identified at a long term care facility in Cranbrook, and 13 days into the 14 day isolation period, there have been no other cases found.
"So hopefully tomorrow that will be declared over," said Brown.
What the public will not likely learn from this case is whether the staff member picked up the virus by travelling, or if they were exposed to the virus locally.
"If it's linked to another case is something obviously the medical health officers want to know and need to know," she said. But those answers will not likely be shared publicly.
If you think you might be a candidate for a COVID-19 test, Brown said people are encouraged to visit the website for the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control which has a self-assessment tool.
Brown spoke about the resumption of elective surgeries at interior hospitals, but it remains in the planning stages. She expects to hear something within a few weeks. "It will most likely be in a phased approach," said Brown. "So we're just waiting to hear what that will be like."
With the number of cases in BC and the Okanagan lower than some other places, the number of businesses considering re-opening after initially closing voluntarily is increasing. Brown isn't entirely opposed to it, but she indicated she hopes it doesn't happen all at once.
"I think we'll have to be cautious," said Brown. "The worst-case scenario for this province is that we have a big surge," she added, suggesting it could end up costing business even more if it leads to problems. "If that happens, then more stringent parameters will have to be put in place."
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