A City of Burnaby employee is staying home from work after attending a care home that has seen multiple cases of the COVID-19 virus, according to an internal email obtained by the NOW.
The employee had “recently” visited a family member at the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver, where two residents were confirmed to have caught COVID-19, including one who later died, according to an email sent out to staff by city manager Lambert Chu.
Chu noted the facility has two wings – a “manor” and a “lodge” – and the employee visited a separate wing from where the COVID-19 cases were confirmed.
“All of the residents in the manor, including the employee’s relative, have been tested for COVID-19 and results were negative,” Chu wrote, adding Vancouver Coastal Health is monitoring the situation at that care home.
“Our employee is currently not exhibiting any symptoms and both the employee and relative are feeling well.”
Although it isn’t a requirement from the city, the employee has chosen to stay home “out of an abundance of caution” and self-monitor for related symptoms. Those symptoms include a fever, cough and shortness of breath.
In his email, Chu relayed information from B.C. health officials, noting a "low" risk in B.C. of COVID-19, which was declared on Wednesday by the World Health Organization to be a global pandemic.
“However, it is prudent for all of us to follow good hygiene practices,” Chu wrote.
That includes frequently washing hands with soap and warm water, sneezing or coughing into an arm sleeve or tissue, avoiding touching one’s face and staying home if feeling ill.
The city also advised employees – particularly those who have recently returned from mainland China, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Singapore and South Korea – to monitor themselves for symptoms, including by taking their temperature twice a day.
Employees who show symptoms of COVID-19 are being asked to immediately self-isolate and call a health-care professional, describing symptoms and travel history.
Staff who have recently been to Hubei, China or Iran are being asked to self-isolate – something the B.C. Centre for Disease Control has actively pushed for several weeks.
As of March 10, there were 39 cases of COVID-19 in B.C., with one death and others who have since recovered.
