Interior BC residents warned after coronavirus outbreak at Alberta oil sands site

Apr 20 2020, 4:31 pm

Residents of British Columbia’s Interior Health region are being warned of a COVID-19 outbreak that took place in Alberta last week.

According to a statement from Interior Health, Alberta Chief Medical Officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw reported the outbreak on April 15. The affected area is the Kearl Lake oil sands project, which is located 70 km north of Fort McMurray.

Twelve people at the work camp have tested positive for coronavirus so far. Health authorities note that many BC residents travel back and forth between the two areas to work.

“Many residents in the Interior Health region travel to work camps in Alberta for employment,” said the health authority. “There is potential for transmission between communities and between our provinces.”

Anyone who worked at this site is asked to self-isolate for 14 days starting from their last date of exposure or the date of their flight home.

As of Saturday, April 18, BC Health officials announced a total of 1,647 coronavirus cases in the province and three additional deaths. Alberta’s latest numbers show 2,803 confirmed cases.

Vincent PlanaVincent Plana

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