There's been a new spike of coronavirus at a pair of Coastal GasLink work sites.
Northern Health is now reporting 48 total infections since an outbreak was declared at the 7 Mile and Little Rock lodges on Sunday (Dec. 20), meaning 15 more have been detected since its previous update on Wednesday (Dec. 23).
This includes 31 active cases among the workers, one new since the weekend announcement, most of whom are said to be self-isolating in their own homes.
Northern Health says a 'small number' of workers are isolating at the lodges, located in the Burns Lake and Nechako local health areas respectively.
By public health order, the authority adds the sites are being limited to essential workers only to ensure safe operation until public health approves COVID-29 safety plans for restarting project work.
"Northern Health is working with Coastal Gas Link, and Pacific Atlantic Pipeline Construction (PAPC), which is the prime contractor at the 7 Mile Lodge and Little Rock Lake Lodge work sites, in response to the outbreak to ensure enhanced control measures are followed to protect the health of employees, and of the communities where they live and work," a statement reads.
The declaration is expected to remain in place for 28 days from the last lab-confirmed case was found.
As of this publication (Dec. 24), Northern Health has reported 1,719 COVID-19 cases since March, including a daily-record 68 new ones since Wednesday.
There have been 21 virus-linked deaths in the region, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control, 516 active cases, 16 people in critical care among 50 hospitalizations, and 1,182 recoveries.
Northern Health issues update for Coastal Gas Link work sites - Burns Lake, Nechako LHAs. There have been 48 confirmed cases. Currently, there are 31 active. #bcpoli #covid19bc #covidBC #covid19 #cityofpg @PGMatters pic.twitter.com/KngLOlgHN9
— Jess Balzer (@jessicajbalzer) December 24, 2020
