Northern Health update on Haida Gwaii COVID outbreak holds case count at 26

Northern Health and the First Nations Health Authority have provided for an update on the COVID-19 outbreak declared on Haida Gwaii on July 24th, with an August 14th advisory noting that to date there have been 26 lab confirmed cases related to the outbreak, with all but one of them considered recovered as of last Friday.

In support of those patients on the Islands, Northern Health's public heath staff are continuing to follow up on the remaining active case, as well as four close contacts who continue to self-isolate at home, they are being monitored towards the presence of any symptoms.

The latest update also relays some important information about Community outbreak measures on Haida Gwaii and the need to continue to limit group sizes and make for safe social gatherings.

Community outbreak measures remain in place. Haida Gwaii residents are encouraged to continue to work together and support each other in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Public health officials will be monitoring the situation carefully over coming weeks and will declare the outbreak over when they are confident that chains of transmission have been stopped. 

Of particular importance, is ensuring safe social gatherings; limiting group sizes and keeping track of who attends. Recent increases in COVID-19 transmission in many parts of BC have been linked to social gatherings and events in communities.

You can review the full review of the situation, as well as further guidance for all residents of the Northern Health Authority region here.

The stabilization of the situation on Haida Gwaii comes as health authorities in BC report an increase of case counts almost daily now, with August having made for a challenging month in recapturing some of the province's earlier success in bending the curve.

You can review the most recent report from Tuesday here, as well as the full overview of the provincial response to COVID-19 from our archive page here.

For more notes on Northern Health themes see our archive page here.