Another elderly resident of a North Vancouver seniors home has died of COVID-19.
The death of a man at Amica’s Edgemont retirement home happened Saturday night, according to information provided by Amica.
“This resident was a much-loved member of our community. His kind heart and love of music will always be remembered and missed,” wrote facility manager Brian Browne.
The most recent death is the third COVID-related death at Amica. Two other residents, a couple who lived together in the home, died earlier this month. The death also comes as the North Vancouver retirement home appears to be fighting a spike in the virus.
Vancouver Coastal Health confirmed there have been 15 people – including residents and staff – who had tested positive for COVID-19 at the care home as of Monday. Those numbers include five residents and five staff members who have recently tested positive, according to Amica. Another five staff members have previously tested positive and are either recovered or recovering,.
The numbers are approximately double what they were a week ago. That is despite the number of cases recently falling at other local care homes like Lynn Valley Care Centre.
Some of the new cases at Amica were identified after a mass testing of over 100 residents of both independent living and assisted living at the facility plus 95 staff members who were tested for the virus on Friday. Four of the residents and five of the staff who tested positive have not been showing symptoms of the virus, according to Amica.
As part of the infection control measures, residents at the care home are being kept in their rooms or suites and staff don masks and gowns in any interactions with residents.
Meanwhile, the Shoppers Drug Mart store at 3260 Edgemont Blvd. in Edgemont Village also emailed customers this week to inform them a store employee has recently tested positive for COVID-19. That employee has not been at the store since April 22 and the store has been thoroughly disinfected, according to the email.
The message stated the store is working with health officials to identify any potential contacts and has emailed customers out of an “abundance of caution.”
Anyone who worked with that employee is now at home in isolation, according to a press statement from Loblaws, the parent company.
The store has also “increased sanitization” and is enforcing physical distancing in the store.
