Health authority confirms cockroaches at B.C. hospital, insists they 'do not bite'
The Vancouver Island Health Authority is downplaying what staff describe as a cockroach infestation in a medical unit of Saanich Peninsula Hospital.
Sources tell CTV News several patient rooms, the nursing station, the medication centre and the sluice room were full of the pests earlier this month – with cockroaches crawling on walls and burrowing into laundered linens – and that management asked staff to collect them.
“These bugs do not bite and do not transmit disease,” wrote a spokesperson for Island Health, confirming the insects are German cockroaches.
“A pest control contractor was immediately contacted and continues to visit the site twice a week to monitor traps and advise.”
The spokesperson said there have been no cockroaches spotted at the hospital since April 22 – last Monday – but that the pest control measures are still ongoing.
Health-care workers said they are “emotionally distraught” at finding the creatures on patients, and described at least one manager being dismissive of the insects, even though they observed dozens of cockroaches.
“What I've heard is that the cockroaches have been like climbing on bedding and on curtains in between patient rooms and just like very visible and that is disturbing,” said BC Nurses Union president, Adrian Gear.
She is urging the health authority to take the situation seriously and try to determine how so many of the pests were able to infest that area of the hospital.
“Saanich Peninsula Hospital remains a safe place to access care,” insisted the VIHA spokesperson.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario patients visiting emergency rooms out of fear being booted by family doctor
Ontario patients are now visiting emergency departments out of fear of being de-rostered from their doctor’s office – a loophole that results in hospitals dealing with non-urgent cases, and disrupts continuity of care paramount to family medicine, according to health-care experts.
Putin wants Ukraine ceasefire on current frontlines, Reuters sources say
Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to halt the war in Ukraine with a negotiated ceasefire that recognizes the current battlefield lines, four Russian sources told Reuters, saying he is prepared to fight on if Kyiv and the West do not respond.
Outdated rules and mounting losses: Can anything be done to fix Canada Post?
Canada Post needs drastic measures to staunch the fiscal bleeding and revamp its operations after a tough decade, experts say.
American Airlines retreats after blaming a 9-year-old for not seeing a hidden camera in a lavatory
American Airlines has distanced itself from a court filing in which the carrier said a nine-year-old girl should have noticed there was a camera taped to the seat of an airplane lavatory.
What is 'slapped cheek disease' and should parents be concerned?
Despite its rough name, experts say most cases of 'slapped cheek disease' are mild and not a cause for concern.
Trillions of cicadas are emerging in the U.S. Here's what they sound like
Two broods of periodical cicadas are emerging in the United States simultaneously for the first time since 1803. Here is what their deafening buzz sounds like.
Ontario mother denied boarding flight with her family after ticket mistake
A dream vacation for an Ontario family quickly turned to frustration when a mother’s name on a ticket didn’t match the name on her passport, meaning she was left behind while her husband and two children flew to France.
Competition Bureau probes alleged anticompetitive conduct by Loblaws, Sobeys owners
Canada's Competition Bureau has launched investigations into the parent companies of grocery chains Loblaws and Sobeys for alleged anticompetitive conduct, court documents reveal, with Sobeys' owner calling the inquiry 'unlawful.'
A deep-dive into a failed 'Star Wars' hotel is going viral
In 2023, Disney closed a highly-publicized luxury hotel on the Walt Disney World property called 'Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.' Now, a year later, a four-hour-long YouTube deep-dive has resurfaced details about the concept and spread the niche piece of Disney lore to millions of viewers.