Outbreaks of illnesses/infectious diseases in any hospitals, long-term care facilities, other health facilities within the Northern Health region, or those that are licensed under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, are included here. When an outbreak is declared over, the facility is removed from the list.
Outbreaks are listed for the following types of infections and illnesses:
- COVID-19
- Other Respiratory Infections (RI) (e.g. influenza)
- Gastrointestinal Illness (e.g. norovirus)
- Clostridium difficile Infection (C.diff)
A medical health officer determines when an outbreak will be declared, based on a variety of factors such as (not limited to) the type of illness, the severity of illness among cases, and the specific measures that are effective to stop the spread of a particular communicable disease.
If you are intending to visit a facility listed below, please consider postponing your visit until the outbreak is over, in order to help keep you and your loved ones healthy.
| City/Town | Facility/Unit | Outbreak type | Date declared |
|---|---|---|---|
* When an outbreak is declared over, the facility is removed from the above list.
What should I do when an outbreak occurs?
The best way to prevent the spread of infections is to wash your hands, practice proper sneeze/cough etiquette, and to get an annual flu shot. We also encourage you to stay home if you are or have recently been ill.
Please avoid visiting an affected facility during an outbreak. If the situation is urgent and you must visit the facility, please ensure you are feeling well, and speak to staff about any precautions that may be necessary.
- Wash your hands or use alcohol-based hand rub product when visiting and when you leave
- Follow instructions given by staff
- Look for signs with further instructions
How does Northern Health respond to an outbreak?
We have strict infection control practices that follow provincial guidelines which we adhere to when an outbreak is declared, to prevent the further spread of the infection through careful monitoring and enhanced infection prevention and control measures. We work to balance the need to reduce transmission of illness within facilities, especially long-term care, with ensuring the control measures don’t negatively affect quality of life for residents, or the ability of staff to provide quality care.
You can read more on how outbreaks are managed in health care settings, in these guidelines from the BC Centre for Disease Control: