Following a record-setting year in 2020, the BC Coroners Service reports 165 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths in January 2021, the largest ever number of lives lost due to illicit drugs in the first month of a calendar year. “These figures are heartbreaking, both in scale and for the number of families who are grieving...

Interior Health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak on unit 4B at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). As of Monday morning, four patients and one staff member have tested positive for COVID-19. Investigation is ongoing and patients with COVID-19 from 4B are being relocated to the COVID unit. There is no evidence of COVID-19 transmission...

As the five-year anniversary of the province’s illicit drug toxicity public health emergency approaches, the BC Coroners Service reports 2020 was B.C.’s worst year yet in terms of number of lives lost due to the effects of toxic illicit drugs. There were 1,716 deaths due to illicit drugs in 2020 in B.C., representing a 74% ...

Treatment and recovery providers who have been financially challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic are benefiting from grants to ensure ongoing support for people struggling with addictions throughout B.C. Fifty-three eligible grant applications came in and all were awarded, totalling just over $2 million. The grants support...

 Interior Health has identified increased COVID-19 activity throughout the 100 Mile House region and has declared a COVID-19 outbreak due to rapid spread in the community of Canim Lake. Located approximately 40 km from100 Mile House, Interior Health has identified 32 cases of COVID-19 who reside in the region and are linked...

While the entire province of BC is reporting 761 new cases of Covid-19 overnight, with eight new deaths, IHA says this region alone saw 98 new cases., as per the following press release: "IH is reporting 96 new cases overnight for a total of 4,406. o   Note: a change was announced today to daily reporting, see below**...

As of Nov. 22, 2020, 90 per cent of patients who had their surgery postponed during the first wave of COVID-19 were able to have their surgery completed through B.C.’s commitment to surgical renewal. “The surgical renewal commitment to patients is a massive and necessary undertaking to address postponed surgeries and meet the...

Interior Health has declared an outbreak at Sunnybank Retirement Home long-term care in Oliver. Four staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. All individuals in close contact with these individuals are in self-isolation and monitoring for symptoms. Sunnybank Retirement Home is operated by Interior Health and has 51 ...

Today marks the first day of British Columbia’s provincewide COVID-19 immunizations, the most comprehensive vaccine program to ever be delivered in B.C. Over the coming days, approximately 4,000 health-care workers in British Columbia will be rolling up their sleeves to receive the first approved COVID-19 vaccine. Nisha Yunus,...

The first round of approximately 4,000 COVID-19 immunizations will begin on the Lower Mainland next week now that the vaccine deployment simulation are complete the BC Government said in a media release Wednesday. “The pandemic has turned our province upside down, but hope is on the horizon,” said Premier John Horgan. “It...