An accumulation of COVID-19 cases related to the Big White ski resort near Kelowna, BC has grown to 60 confirmed cases, according to the Interior Health Authority.
The spread of the disease in the mountain community is mainly due to shared apartments and people who socialize, health officials said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Large households and social gatherings appear to be responsible for much of the COVID-19 transmissions associated with this cluster,” the statement said.
“This underscores the importance of limiting social activities and following COVID-19 protocols indoors.”
Health officials reminded resort residents that socialization must be limited to those in their immediate households, according to an order from Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, who extended a social gathering ban until January 8th.
“Nervous Young People”
Big White’s resort management said it urged health officials to conduct on-site testing amid concerns about the spread of COVID-19 at a number of well-attended parties hosted by resort staff.
“There are a lot of nervous young people in the community right now,” Big White marketing director Michael Ballingall said Monday.
According to the 2016 census, the Big White Resort community has 251 residents year round, but that number climbs to more than 2,000 in winter.
Approximately 600 people are employed at the resort this season. Ballingall said many of them are under 30 and may not be home for the first time.
Test to continue
The Kelowna area has seen a sharp spike in COVID-19 in recent weeks, with new cases increasing ten-fold since early November and the number of cases per capita among the highest in British Columbia.
Interior Health ran 140 tests at the ski resort over two days, focusing on people who lived in large households, even if they were asymptomatic, said medical health officer Dr. Silvina Mema.
“We saw that a lot of people live in the same household, which is a positive case, so it’s not unexpected,” she said.
Outreach testing in the resort community will continue, she said.
The health authority said it was confident with the ski resort’s safety plan and said outdoor activities in Big White are safe as long as people follow directions from health officials.
“It’s safe to do that while [people] keep to themselves, like they would in any other community, “said Mema.
“We’re seeing COVID-19 across the region and Big White is no exception.”
