There have been 18 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in the Revelstoke Local Health Area (LHA) in the latest weekly reporting period from Mar. 21 to Mar. 27, a dramatic increase over the previous two reporting periods when only two new cases were recorded over two weeks.
The increase in cases follows the provincial trend, as new cases rise rapidly as COVID-19 variants of concern increase across the province.
In Revelstoke, the rise in cases led to the closure of Revelstoke Mountain Resort for the rest of the season due to staff shortages related to COVID-19.
Vaccinations in Revelstoke LHA
To date, Interior Health has administered 785 first doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the Revelstoke LHA, and 60 second doses.
The population of the Revelstoke LHA is 10,696, meaning about 7.3% of residents have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
B.C. in record territory
B.C. recorded 1,013 new cases on Mar. 31, a new record, the most new cases reported on a slngle day since the pandemic started. There are 7,405 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, with 11,468 people under public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases. 91,066 people who tested positive have recovered.
The new cases pushed B.C. past the 100,000 cases mark, for a cumulative total of 100,048. There were three new deaths in B.C. over the past day, bringing the total of deaths to 1,458.
Today, B.C. did not update on the number of variants of concern detected, citing a delay in “sequencing analysis.”
Interior Health
On Mar. 31, Interior Health recorded 64 new cases and declared outbreaks at Kelowna General Hospital and Vernon Jubilee Hospital. The KGH outbreak is in a different ward as the previous ongoing outbreak. It has infected five patients and five staff, with two deaths connected to the outbreak. The VJH outbreak was at a surgical unit with three patient cases.
No enforcement planned after Saturday parking lot party
Interior Health said that no enforcement action would be taken against those involved in a Saturday, Mar. 27 party in the Revelstoke Mountain Resort parking lot. The event was part of an informal annual spring skiing celebration and involved a group of revelers who congregated in the lot. The annual event happens at ski resorts across North America and has never been sanctioned by the resort.
It was reported to Interior Health. “Given this was an unsanctioned event that we were not directly involved with, Interior Health is not planning to take any enforcement-related action at this time,” said Interior Health spokesperson Karl Hardt. Revelstoke RCMP say the incident wasn’t reported to them by the public or Interior Health.
Local physician says it’s time to shake off complacency
Revelstoke physician Vikki Haines said low case numbers in recent weeks and the nice spring weather had contributed to a sense of complacency, warning that now isn’t the time.
“Revelstoke has had low numbers for the last three weeks or so, but that does lend to everybody, including me, feeling they can let their guard down,” she said. “It’s just not the time.”
Data gaps remain
BC health officials do not report many data points at the Local Health Area level, such as new cases on a daily basis, active cases, variants of concern, demographic data, transmission data and much more. Although some of the data is available at the Health Delivery Service Area or Health Authority, the data gaps remain a challenge to identify trends in the Revelstoke LHA.
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