VANCOUVER -- Health officials in B.C.'s Interior have declared a second outbreak of COVID-19 at Kelowna General Hospital.
One staff member and one patient in unit 5B at the hospital had tested positive for the coronavirus as of Saturday morning, Interior Health said in a news release.
"There is no evidence of COVID-19 transmission to other areas of the hospital at this time," the health authority said in its release.
Interior Health also said the outbreak on unit 5B is not linked to the ongoing outbreak on unit 4B, which was declared on Feb. 22.
As of Friday, six patients and one staff member on that unit had tested positive for COVID-19, and two people had died, according to Interior Health.
Outbreak protocols are in place and infection control and communicable disease specialists are meeting with hospital staff and leaders daily to contain the outbreaks, the health authority said.
Interior Health says Kelowna General Hospital remains safe to attend for appointments and emergency care.
"Please continue with any scheduled procedures," the health authority said. "Self-isolation or COVID-19 testing is not required after visiting the hospital."
