COVID-19 cluster at B.C. ski resort grows to 96 cases

As another 20 cases of COVID-19 are confirmed at B.C.'s Big White Ski Resort, health officials are reminding skiers and snowboarders to stick to their local slopes and abide by the provincial advisory against non-essential travel.

A total of 96 cases have now been linked to the Kelowna-area resort community, and most of the transmission is the result of group housing, parties and other social gatherings, according to Interior Health.

"These new cases were expected; many of these new cases were in isolation already as they had shared their household with confirmed cases. What we hope to see in the days ahead is a reduction in the new cases which will show our case follow-up and the additional safety measures are working," Dr. Silvina Mema, the medical health officer for the health authority, said in a newsrelease.

"We know that skiing and enjoying winter activities outdoors are important and we want this to be a great ski season. It is safe to enjoy the outdoors, and we ask that everyone follows all public health orders by staying to your local hill, skiing with your household bubble and following all safety protocols ski hills have in place."

All social gatherings with people outside of your immediate household are currently prohibited under a public health order.

An advisory against all non-essential travel has been in place throughout B.C. since Nov. 19, and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has repeatedly reminded skiers to stick to the ski hills within their local area.

Last week, Big White announced that it is cancelling all reservations for people outside the Central Okanagan region until Jan. 9, when the current advisory is set to expire.

The Big White cluster is part of a growing wave of new cases in the Okanagan during the second wave of COVID-19.

According to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, there were 375 cases confirmed in the region between Dec. 11 and 17 close to 16 per cent of all cases the Okanagan has seen since the beginning of the pandemic.

The positivity rate in the Okanagan is now seven per cent, double the rate of just a few weeks ago.