Less than a day after the municipality of Sun Peaks announced a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the ski resort village, the medical director at the Sun Peaks Health Centre has identified the case as one of the centre's doctors.
"At this time, we would like to provide updated information regarding this case for the interest of the community. We can confirm that Dr. Chip Bantock has received confirmation that he has contracted and tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday night, March 20, 2020," writes Dr. Shane Barclay in a message on the village's website today.
"We had chosen to keep Dr. Bantock's name confidential immediately following the positive test results to give Dr. Bantock the opportunity to contact all patients that may be at risk, to discuss the situation with them directly and appropriately assist them with any fears or anxiety upon hearing the news, rather than through social media or the local grapevine," Barclay adds.
The village, which has a permanent population of over 600, grows significantly in the winter as skiers from around the world head to the slopes. The ski hill shut down for the season earlier this week due to the pandemic.
"We have reason to believe Dr. Bantock was unfortunately exposed through his work as a medical professional, while still practicing all measures to limit potential exposure. Due to our limited knowledge of this disease, it is impossible to know when and from whom exactly Dr. Bantock contracted COVID-19, which emphasizes the need for everyone to be vigilant and assume that everyone has the virus," Barclay writes in the message to residents.
When the municipality announced the single confirmed case yesterday, it also announced there were multiple presumptive cases.
