4 B.C. hospitals declare new COVID-19 outbreaks, dozens of patients test positive

Four more hospitals in B.C. declared COVID-19 outbreaks in the latest wave in the pandemic after multiple patients at each facility tested positive for the disease.

The latest outbreaks were announced Wednesday. One hospital, Kelowna General Hospital, is in the Interior Health region, while the other three are in Fraser Health. That health authority also declared a fourth outbreak in the high intensity rehabilitation unit of a long-term care home.

One of the new outbreaks in Fraser Health is at Burnaby Hospital, where transmission was observed in three separate units. The health authority said eight patients tested positive in an acute care elders unit, three patients tested positive in a surgical unit and two patients in a medical unit tested positive.

Meanwhile, at Langley Memorial Hospital, six patients tested positive in a medicine unit. The third hospital outbreak in Fraser Health is at Peace Arch Hospital, where five patients tested positive in a patient assessment and transition home unit.

All of the impacted units in the three hospitals are closed to admissions, but emergency departments are open at all the facilities.

"Fraser Health has notified all patients on the affected units about each outbreak, and in addition, families of patients who are unable to share this information have been informed," the health authority said in a statement.

Details on the outbreak at Kelowna General Hospital weren't provided by Interior Health, but the provincial Health Ministry announced it in Wednesday's written COVID-19 update.

As of Wednesday, there were 49 ongoing outbreaks in health-care facilities in B.C., according to the ministry. That total includes 39 in long-term care homes, nine in acute-care facilities, such as hospitals, and one in an assisted or independent living facility.

The other B.C. hospitals experiencing outbreaks include Surrey Memorial, Eagle Ridge, Royal Columbian and Abbotsford Regional.