COVID-19 outbreak at Okanagan drug rehabilitation facility limited to staff, Interior Health says

A sign at the Okanagan Men's Centre is seen in this still from a video on the facility's YouTube channel.

Vancouver — The outbreak of COVID-19 at the Okanagan Men's Centre is limited to "a small cluster of staff cases," and no clients of the residential recovery facility have tested positive, according to Interior Health.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and deputy health minister Stephen Brown announced the outbreak in their written update on B.C.'s pandemic response Wednesday, but they did not provide any additional information about the situation.

Interior Health told CTV News in an email Thursday that public health teams are supporting the centre and directly contacting anyone potentially exposed to the coronavirus.

The health authority said there is no risk to the broader public.

"To respect the privacy and vulnerable nature of people in recovery, (Interior Health) cannot provide any additional details," the health authority said.

The Okanagan Men's Centre is a Christian residential centre for people with a history of addiction. It is part of Teen Challenge, a faith-based international drug rehabilitation organization with more than 1,000 locations around the world, according to the website for its B.C. chapter.