A outbreak of COVID-19 on Haida Gwaii has resulted in 13 confirmed cases, which health officials say are all linked to local residents and off-island travel.
The announcement comes one week after the Haida Nation posted a bulletin advising residents that a patient had informed health officials about a positive test for the respiratory virus.
Of the 13 cases, health officials say one person has recovered, while the other 12 are considered active cases.
“At this time cases are all local residents. While the initial source of transmission is still being investigated, the cases are all epidemiologically linked. Some are related residents who had recently travelled off island, and others are from exposure to known cases,” the statement said.
The outbreak comes amid friction between Indigenous groups on Haida Gwaii and local fishing lodges over the resumption of operations and the potential for spread of COVID-19 from visitors.
The remote community has been off-limits to non-residents. A message on Haida Gwaii’s official website asks visitors to refrain from coming to Haida Gwaii for non-essential travel.
“Haida Gwaii is a remote place with limited medical facilities,” the website said.
The Haida Nation has also been advising residents to refrain from travelling between Island communities for all but essential errands only. Those who do travel off island are required to self-isolate for 14 days upon return.
Dix and Henry reported 27 new cases of the disease in B.C. between noon on Thursday and noon on Friday.
There was one additional COVID-19 related death, which raised the death toll from the respiratory illness to 191 in British Columbia.
A total of 3,419 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in B.C.
There are currently 294 active cases in the province and 2,934 people who tested positive have recovered.
A dozen people are being treated in hospital, including three in intensive care.
No new cases were reported in the Island Health region, which has had 142 confirmed cases and five deaths.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry says an outbreak in Kelowna continues to grow and anyone who may have been exposed needs to monitor themselves closely.
Figures from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control show the Okanagan had 107 positive tests between July 10 and July 23.
During the same period, 58 people were diagnosed south of the Fraser River, 49 in Vancouver and seven on Vancovuer Island.
— With files from The Canadian Press and Times Colonist
