Island Health declares new long-term care outbreak; Additional cases confirmed at ongoing outbreaks

B.C. health system trying to catch up with Omicron More vaccine clinics will open up for booster shots on Vancouver Island, as the race continues against the Omicron variant.

Island Health has declared a new outbreak of COVID-19 at a long-term care home in Victoria Thursday.

The outbreak is located at Clover Point Care, where five residents and one staff member have tested positive for the illness.

Meanwhile, more COVID-19 cases have been identified at other care homes on Vancouver Island where outbreaks had already been declared.

In Victoria, three more staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 at Glenwarren Lodge.

The update brings the total number of confirmed cases linked to the outbreak to 15. Ten cases are among staff members and five were identified in residents.

Island Health says the outbreak is limited to the first floor of the building.

Meanwhile, two more cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in staff members at Selkirk Seniors Village long-term care home in Victoria.

Eight staff members and one resident have now tested positive for COVID-19 at the facility as of Thursday.

The outbreak is limited to the third floor of the building at this time.

NANAIMO UPDATE

Island Health says three new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed at Eden Gardens long-term care home in Nanaimo.

Two of the new cases were confirmed in residents, and one was identified in a staff member.

A total of four cases have now been linked to the outbreak, with one earlier case identified in a resident.

"It is important to note, the case numbers and updates reported in this bulletin are cases that have been confirmed via PCR testing or follow up from Island Health’s case and contact management team," said Island Health in a statement Thursday.

"During this time, Island Health will support the sites to take any further actions required and answer questions from staff, residents and family members."

Thursday's update brings the number of outbreaks at health-care facilities on Vancouver Island to eight. Seven are located at long-term care homes and one is active at Victoria General Hospital's medicine unit.