COVID-19 cases linked to Big White resort near Kelowna, B.C., grow to 76

The cluster of COVID-19 cases linked to the Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna, B.C., has jumped to 76 from 60 earlier this week, according to the Interior Health Authority.

Among the confirmed cases, 44 live at the resort, and 19 peoplehave completed self-isolation and recovered from the disease, the authority said on Friday.

Interior Health medical health officer Dr. Silvina Mema confirmed that workers living in overcrowded housing arebehind the spread of coronavirusatthe Okanagan resort.

Interior Health has not confirmed any cases among guests of the resort.

"There [were] more than two or three individuals sleeping in the same bedroom," she said. "Several individuals [were] sharing the same common areas within the housing."

The majority of the infections are in people in their 20s and 30s, according to health officials earlier this week.

No more than 2 people in a bedroom

Mema said there should be no more than two individuals sleeping in the same standard-sized bedroom.

"We are working now sending the letter[s] to the landlords, the employers and the staff outlining what overcrowding means," she said.

Interior Health has provided COVID-19 testing atBig White since last Fridayand willcontinuetesting there next week.

"We can anticipate that we can find more cases that may need to be isolated," Dr. Mema said.

The additional 16 cases of COVID-19 cases linked to Big White were announcedtwo days after the ski resort fired up to10employees for breaking theircontracts.

The contract requires staff to reportsymptoms of illness to managers andfollowpublic health orders that restrictsocial gatherings, according to Big White Ski Resort management.

Mema asks the public not to stigmatize the ski resort employees orassume they haven't followed public health orders.

"It's very important that we remain kind and not judge these individuals, because we don't know the circumstances that may have put them at risk," she said.

No guests from outside Central Okanagan

Following the provincial travel restrictions in place until Jan. 9, Big White ski resort has announced it will accept only guests who hold seasonpasses or come from the Central Okanagan. It offered guests who live outside of the region full refunds and rebooking opportunities.

"If you fall outside the local area, you should be skiing at your local mountain," said marketing director Michael Ballingall.

A public health advisory against non-essential travel has been in place since Nov. 19, but B.C.'sother big mountain resorts are taking a couple of different approaches to that.

SilverStar Mountain Resort near Vernon has done something similar to Big White.

"Upon extension of the travel advisory we immediately stopped taking any bookings from outside of our area and notified all of our guests scheduled to come," resort spokesperson Chantelle Deacon said in an email.

"We posted the PHO [provincial health order] on the front page of our website and advised all guests not to come, offering a refund or credit for a future visit."

But some other major resorts say it's up to guests to follow public health advice, and they're still accepting bookings from non-local visitors.

That includes Whistler Blackcomb, the province's biggest ski destination, and Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, which operates Fernie Alpine Resort, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Kimberley Alpine Resort.

Matt Mosteller, spokesperson for Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, said his company has "what many say is North America's best COVID safety operation plan."

When it comes to non-local guests, however, Mosteller said "It's a shared responsibility and people have to make their own decisions."