12 employees test positive for COVID-19 at Fairmont Chateau Whistler

Jan 29 2021, 7:30 pm

A dozen employees at a popular hotel in Whistler have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Fairmont Chateau Whistler confirmed with Daily Hive that the employees tested positive for the virus, adding that they’re working closely with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) to “mitigate risk and ensure that the hotel remains a healthy and safe place for all who visit.”

“These measures include self-quarantine for the individuals and all who were in close contact,” reads an emailed statement from the hotel. “Health officials advise that risk of transmission is low for those who have not been in close contact with these individuals.”

Fairmont Chateau Whistler says that measures such as mandatory screening of guests and employees, mandatory face mask usage, and a 48-hour hold on guest rooms between occupancy are currently in place.

New data from the BC Centre for Disease Control and VCH shows how Whistler became British Columbia’s latest COVID-19 hotspot as new infections continue to surge.

In a heat map plotting new infections per capita between January 17 and 23, the Howe Sound region reports 224 new cases per 100,000 people. The area around the popular ski resort is coloured a deep burgundy.

whistler hotspot covid-19

A heat map of per capita new daily COVID-19 across BC (BC CDC)

It’s a jump from 63 new cases per 100,000 people reported the week before — an increase of more than 3.5 times in just one week.

VCH, the health authority responsible for Howe Sound, recorded 288 new COVID-19 infections in Whistler between January 1 and 26. Six restaurants and bars have also been flagged for potential COVID-19 exposure.

Vincent PlanaVincent Plana

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