Photo: Castanet Staff

UPDATE: 4:02 p.m.

B.C.'s top doctor is calling the deadly COVID-19 outbreak at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops "a wakeup call."

Dr. Bonnie Henry made the remark during a news conference on Monday afternoon, hours after Interior Health confirmed the outbreak, declared on Friday with eight patients, had ballooned over the weekend to 48 cases and one death.

"This is a wakeup call," Henry said. "It's a warning to everybody that we can't let our guard down."

Henry said the RIH outbreak could continue to grow.

"We did have the numbers today, and those will change as the outbreak progresses," she said.

Asked about concern in the community over the weekend as no updates on the outbreak were made public by Interior Health, Henry implied Kamloops residents don't need timely information about what's going on at the hospital.

“It is always a challenge about who wants what information, and the overriding focus has been on providing the information to those who need it — in the facility, the patients and their families, the staff and the facility," she said.

"That has been and will continue to be the overriding issue people are paying attention to.”

ORIGINAL STORY: 12:01 p.m.

The COVID-19 outbreak at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops turned deadly and grew significantly over the weekend, with health officials reporting 40 additional confirmed cases and one death.

According to IH, 20 patients and 28 hospital staff have so far tested positive. One elderly patient infected as part of the outbreak died over the weekend.

According to IH, the outbreak has not spread outside of the hospital’s 6 South surgical unit.

The outbreak was first reported on Friday with eight cases.

“I understand the public will be anxious about the news of this outbreak at their hospital,” said Dr. Carol Fenton, Kamloops medical health officer.

“It is important, however, that people remain calm and know that a highly skilled team is working to quickly contain this outbreak. Please help us support staff and patients by following all public health precautions as you go about your daily activities.”

IH did not provide public updates on the RIH outbreak over the weekend. In its statement, the health authority said it will “release regular updates” on the outbreak.

“We remind the public that the hospital is safe to attend for appointments or emergency care,” the statement read.

“Please continue with any scheduled procedures. COVID-19 self-isolation is not required after visiting the hospital.”