Eased visitation restrictions, new protections coming for seniors in long-term care
People in long-term care and seniors’ assisted living and their loved ones will have more ways to safely spend time together, with a further easing of visitation rules coming into effect on July 19, 2021. “The pandemic has challenged people living and working in long-term care in ways we never could have imagined, but we are...
Kootenay Boundary residents benefit from Alzheimer Society's new programs
Five years after a diagnosis, Earla Legault and her mother Joey approached a milestone on their dementia journey: Joey was set to move from independent assisted living into long-term care. Earla had been Joey’s primary support, but with the new home closer to her brother, she was ready to take a step back while he took over...
UPDATE: Merry Creek fire now 90% contained, evacuation orders and notices have been lifted
Based on the recommendation from BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) regarding the 20-hectare Merry Creek wildfire (N51165), the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is rescinding the Evacuation Order for 31 properties and the Evacuation Alert for one property in Electoral Area J as of 12:30...
IHA says 114 long-term care patients in Castlegar evacuated
Interior Health has evacuated residents from two Castlegar long-term care homes as a precautionary measure due to the Merry Creek Wildfire. Sixty residents from Talarico Place and 54 residents from Castleview Care Centre have been relocated temporarily to alternate care homes within the Kootenay Boundary. Interior Health’s...
One week of heat wave sees 719 sudden deaths in BC, three times the usual
Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, has released the following statement about public safety during the heat wave in British Columbia: “Over the past week, the BC Coroners Service has received an unprecedented number of reports of sudden and unexpected death throughout the province. Over the seven days from Friday, June 25 through...
Chief coroner’s updated statement on public safety during heat wave
Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, has released the following statement about public safety during the heat wave in the province: “The last five days in British Columbia have seen an unprecedented number of deaths reported to the BC Coroners Service. Between Friday and 1 p.m. today, at least 486 sudden and unexpected deaths have...
Care Air and Angel Flight Service help local patient gain access to medical care
Kim Kostiuk, a patient from Cranbrook who had an appointment at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH), was transported to the Trail Regional Airport (YZZ) on Friday, June 17, 2021 through Angel Flight East Kootenay and returned to Cranbrook the same day. Care Air, the West Kootenay Angel Flight service, arranged for Kim’s ground transportation to […]
Interior Health accelerating second doses of COVID-19 vaccine throughout region
Interior Health’s #journey2immunity COVID-19 vaccination campaign continues to accelerate throughout the region. Approximately 675,000 doses of vaccine have now been administered and more are on the way as drop-in hours expand and mobile immunization clinics travel across the Interior. “I want to thank the hundreds of...
B.C. prepares to move to Step 2 of its restart plan
Beginning on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, British Columbia will take the next step in safely bringing people back together, transitioning into Step 2 of BC’s Restart plan, including lifting restrictions on travel within B.C. “Thanks to our collective efforts and commitment to get vaccinated,...
Grand Forks see spike in new COVID-19 cases — BCCDC
While hospitalizations due to COVID-19 continue to decline in BC, the Grand Forks region saw a spike in cases between May 30 and June 5 according to the BC Centre of Disease Control Graphic Distribution map of the province. Grand Forks topped the Kootenay Boundary region with 11 new COVID-19 cases. Cranbrook was next with ...
