Second COVID-19 outbreak at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, 96 more cases

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) — A second COVID-19 outbreak was declared at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver on Tuesday, while the province announced 96 new cases.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Deputy Minister of Health Stephen Brown didn’t offer other details about the outbreak at St. Paul’s Hospital, which had an outbreak involving an infant in its neonatal intensive care unit in July. That has since been declared over.

While the outbreak at St. Paul’s has forced the closure of one unit, the emergency room and other parts of the complex in downtown Vancouver are not impacted, according to Providence Health

A single transmission has been confirmed in the Urban Health unit (8A), so no new patients are allowed in that area.

Active outbreaks remain in 12 long-term care or assisted-living facilities, as well as four acute-care units.

The new cases bring the total to 8,304 in B.C.

NEW #COVID19 ACUTE CARE OUTBREAK
1 unit at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver

16 active outbreaks in care facilities: 12 LTC/ 4 Acute
No new community outbreaks but lots of exposure events.
Number of exposure events at schools across B.C., but no transmission, clusters, outbreaks

— Lasia Kretzel (@lkretzel1130) September 22, 2020

With no deaths reported Tuesday — the first day of fall — the total in B.C. remains at 227.

“The start of fall is the time for all of us to regroup and reset our COVID-19 routines, and ready ourselves for the colder, wetter months ahead,” health officials say in a release.

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• COVID-19 outbreak at St. Paul’s Hospital NICU in Vancouver over

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“As we move inside, the activities we choose to do and the layers of protection we use need to be adjusted to ensure we are protecting ourselves, our friends and family – especially those who are most vulnerable to severe illness. This means spending less time with others outside of our household bubble right now,” they add.

“We need to push our COVID-19 curve back down and keep the virus low and slow, so we can manage the many challenges that will come with the respiratory season.”

First time in more than a week BC in double, not triple-digit increase, in new #covid19 cases.
[**Checking with health on active cases (statement says 1465 – think it’s more likely 1965)]
Everything else mostly up – hospitalizations, ICU, outbreaks, #bcpoli @news1130 pic.twitter.com/qij7NPQPyS

— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) September 22, 2020

Of 1,465 active cases — more than 500 fewer than reported the previous day — of COVID-19 in the province, 3,314 people who are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases.

1400+ active #covid19 cases in BC today is correct (even if @bccdc totals don’t match & neither match with joint statement’s 1465).
It’s clear the adjustment was in @VCHhealthcare with 513 fewer active cases which is perplexing.
Have asked VCH & heath why.#bcpoli @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/E2glsnIOzu

— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) September 23, 2020

Vancouver Coastal Health clarified the reporting of active numbers in an email.

“As of today, there are 607 active cases in the Vancouver Coastal Health region,” a spokesperson wrote. “The shift in today’s recovered cases reflects Vancouver Coastal Health’s transition to a new electronic data collection system, which led to a delay in notifying BCCDC of recovered cases within the last month. The system is now fully implemented and the data is up to date. All cases were assessed and cleared by Public Health from isolation at the appropriate time.”

Currently, 61 people remain in hospital with the virus, including 22 in intensive care.

Cases by health region since the start of the pandemic: 2,984 in Vancouver Coastal; 4,254 in Fraser; 203 in Island; 511 in Interior; 266 in Northern; 86 people who reside outside of Canada.

-With files from Marcella Bernardo and Liza Yuzda