Two COVID-19 outbreaks at Osoyoos’ Mariposa Gardens and Oliver’s McKinney Place long-term care homes have worsened with four deaths connected to COVID-19 and continued infections among residents and staff.
Responding to Times-Chronicle queries, Interior Health said at Mariposa Gardens there is one death connected to the outbreak with 14 resident and 15 staff infections, while at McKinney Place there are three deaths connected to the outbreak with 31 residents and nine staff infected.
The outbreaks were first identified on Jan. 18 at Mariposa which registered four residents and three staff infected while at McKinney the outbreak was identified on Jan. 22 with 14 residents and five staff infections.
This means that compared to the initial outbreak numbers, the current infections are nearly four times higher at Mariposa while infections have roughly doubled at McKinney Place.
Interior Health also said that outbreak restrictions are still in place. “This includes putting a pause on admissions, pausing non-essential visitors, and testing patients and staff. Non-urgent appointments are also on hold, but urgent appointments may continue. Essential, palliative and end-of-life, and single designated visits may continue.”
This is the first COVID-19 death at Mariposa Gardens since the pandemic began. At McKinney Place, however, 17 residents died of COVID-19 in Jan. 2021.
