An outbreak of COVID-19 has been declared at Eagle Ridge Hospital, but the number of lab-confirmed cases is unknown.
Fraser Health says an acute care unit is enduring an outbreak of the virus dating back to April 7.
It's the fifth known outbreak linked to COVID-19 at the Port Moody facility.
The last one ended on Jan. 18 in the elder acute-care unit after eight infections were detected in a 13-day span — five patients and three staff members.
No deaths were recorded, but six lives have been claimed at Eagle Ridge by complications with COVID-19 from outbreaks since the pandemic began.
All of them took place during the first declaration in March 2021.
Historically, 56 known cases have been detected and confirmed at the Tri-Cities' regional hospital.
The Tri-City News has asked Fraser Health if it could provide the number of cases that enforced the latest outbreak, but they've yet to respond to our request as of this publication (April 13).
In response to a related inquiry by our sister site Burnaby NOW, a spokesperson says Fraser Health is no longer providing the exact number of cases during outbreaks involving acute care settings.
The authority adds, given the nature of the circulating Omicron variant, the totals "no longer provide an accurate reflection of how COVID-19 is impacting patients, staff and medical staff in acute care settings."
Fraser Health explains an outbreak is declared at an acute care site when at least one person — patient, resident or staff member — has been diagnosed with the virus.
It adds the most likely source of transmission is a recent visitor, another patient, resident or staff member.
Eagle Ridge Hospital is one of four active COVID-19 outbreaks across Fraser Health; the other three are in Burnaby:
- Burnaby Hospital
- George Derby Centre
- St. Michael’s Centre Extended Care
It's unclear if Eagle Ridge Hospital is under the same circumstances as those impacting the long-term and acute-care facilities in Burnaby.
VACCINATION UPDATE
There's been some movement in terms of eligible residents getting inoculated against the virus.
According to the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), the North Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam sub-regions of the Tri-Cities is nearing a 90 per cent double-vaccination rate among those aged five years and older at 89 and 88 per cent respectively.
The Tri-Cities' triple-vaccination rate has not changed in the last week and remains at 57 per cent among those eligible to receive a booster dose
The latest BCCDC surveillance numbers — collected up to April 5 — are as follows. Case rates represent new cases per 100,000 people by local health area and community health service area:
North Coquitlam
- Case rate: Four
- 20 per cent positivity rate
- 66 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 92 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 89 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 72 per cent of 50+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Southwest Coquitlam
- Case rate: Four
- 17 per cent positivity rate
- 63 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 94 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 91 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 74 per cent of 50+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Southeast Coquitlam
- Case rate: Two
- 11 per cent positivity rate
- 63 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 91 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 88 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 74 per cent of 50+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Port Coquitlam
- Case rate: Three
- 11 per cent positivity rate
- 60 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 90 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 88 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 75 per cent of 50+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Port Moody-Anmore-Belcarra
- Case rate: Three
- 13 per cent positivity rate
- 70 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 92 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 90 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 77 per cent of 50+ population vaccinated with a third dose
VACCINE CLINICS
Eligible residents looking to receive a vaccination against COVID-19 — or other inoculations for their children — over Easter can do so in Coquitlam.
The mass immunization centre, as well as the multi-vaccination clinic at the Poirier Admin Building (640 Poirier St.), are scheduled to be open through the long weekend, including the Good Friday statutory holiday (April 15).
The Coquitlam Central SkyTrain Station's park-and-ride overflow lot's operating hours are:
- 2900 Barnet Hwy.
- 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Entrance off Mariner Way — east side of Rona. Proceed down the ramp and turn right
- The address will direct you to the main lot on the left but COVID-19 Services are located in the overflow lot to the right
- Do not cut through the Rona parking lot. Please follow the signs
Anyone seeking a vaccine against COVID-19 is encouraged to register via B.C.'s GetVaccinated online portal or call 1-833-838-2323.
You can also visit the province's website for more information on its COVID-19 immunization plan.
Kids as young as four months old can receive a number of different vaccinations at a makeshift clinic Fraser health implemented last month to provide a convenient option for parents and guardians.
This includes:
- COVID-19 vaccine
- For eligible children and adolescents aged five and older
- Tdap-IPV vaccine
- Protects against tetanus diphtheria, whooping cough and polio
- MMRV vaccine
- Protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox
- with files from Jess Balzer, Burnaby NOW
