It appears the situation involving a COVID-19 outbreak at a pair of northern B.C. work sites are getting better, in a matter of speaking.
According to Northern Health's latest update today (Dec. 31), five new infections were found at Coastal GasLink's 7 Mile and Little Rock lodges since Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), bringing the total to 53 since the outbreak was declared on Dec. 19.
The authority adds the number of active cases has shrunk down significantly from 31 to just six, all of whom are still self-isolating at the Burns Lake and Nechako local health-area bases 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. 31), Northern Health has reported 1,974 COVID-19 cases since March.
There have been 26 virus-linked deaths in the region, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control, 582 active cases, 16 people in critical care among 47 hospitalizations, and 1,357 recoveries.
