Word swirls in Sooke about local case of COVID-19

Monday July 27, 2020 ~ SOOKE, BC

by Mary Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News

Today there is word swirling in Sooke of a local case of COVID-19.

As of today Monday July 27, there are 143 cases of COVID-19 in the Island Health Authority. Of those, 50 are here on South Vancouver Island.

Based on the BC CDC Public Health COVID-19 Status Dashboard for the Island Health Authority (public version, July 27) recent cases in Island Health since July 19 are all categorized as “linked to confirmed case or cluster” (as opposed to “international travel” or “community exposure”).

The dashboard shows that it’s been nine days in the South Vancouver Island area since the new onset of any COVID-19 cases.

New cases since the previous report (of July 24) for all of BC tally to 81 today — that’s over the three-day period from Friday July 24 to Monday July 27. And today, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BC CDC) statistics show one new case on Vancouver Island.

That would place the presumed ‘Sooke case’ as having surfaced (i.e. as test positive or epi-linked) in the last three days, given the fresh word on the street in Sooke today.

Specific case locations not revealed by public health:

It is the approach of Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry that specific locations of persons with test-positive cases of COVID-19 not be revealed.

In an opinion editorial back on April 6, Dr Henry said “it would be irresponsible to mention only a few communities and give people outside those areas a false sense that they are not susceptible or at lower risk”.

“As we notify the public about COVID-19 cases, we have been careful about how much we disclose about the personal details of people who were potentially exposed and the specific location of confirmed cases. This is because, as with many communicable diseases, there is still very much of a stigma associated with infection,” Dr Henry wrote in her widely published op-ed.

That was a good assessment of things at the beginning of the pandemic. But now most people seem to understand that the virus is everywhere (though hidden), and might appreciate knowing if they should protect themselves and their loved ones even a bit more on a short term or localized basis.

As Dr Henry herself said in her op-ed: “When an outbreak hits a community, one of the most urgent things people want is information. This is human nature, as information allows us to protect ourselves, our families and our loved ones.”

The new cases July 24 to 27:

In the last three days, the 81 new cases in BC (seven of those epi-linked) are composed as 36 Friday-Saturday, 21 Saturday-Sunday, and 24 Sunday-Monday.

Based on the BC CDC dashboard, the one new case with COVID-19 on Vancouver Island is a person in the 50 to 59 year age category.

There are a total of 143 cases of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island to date during the pandemic, including the one new case reported today. No one is presently in hospital with COVID-19.

There have been five COVID-19 confirmed deaths in the Island Health Authority since the beginning of the pandemic.

Word on the street:

As rumours tend to be, there is a lot of chatter but no one can or will confirm. But when numerous people are suddenly talking, usually something is up.

What was also up today was the Sooke town flag (background in sections of red and yellow, with axes and fish as the heraldic symbols), in the middle of the traffic roundabout in town centre. Sooke stands proud, if not defiant, in the face of any challenge to the community.

Some people are wearing non-medical face masks around town and in stores, but not a lot. People are talking and attentive but going about their day’s work, shopping and activities.

Local businesses and plexiglass:

A few small local businesses in Sooke that do not already have plexiglass barriers in place were saying today how it’s probably time for that investment, given the rumoured case and with a second wave of COVID-19 expected this fall amidst the annual respiratory/influenza season.

Larger stores like grocery, pharmacy and liquor have plexiglass barriers in place, but smaller operations in a few cases do not.

Reminders from Dr Henry:

“Avoiding closed spaces, crowds, and close contact – inside or outside,” is part of maintaining our efforts in BC to keep COVID-19 at bay, said Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry today in a media briefing.

“Safe physical distancing is important no matter where you may be. This is for now, and we know we can do this,” she said, adding that these proven public health measures will “get us through the next months until we have an effective treatment or a vaccine”.