The City of Cranbrook is encouraging calmness and support in response to the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the community, which was announced Thursday (April 16).
“The City of Cranbrook first and foremost wishes good health and a fully recovery to those directly affected,” said the City in a press release on Friday.
On Thursday, April 16, Interior Health announced that a staff member at a seniors care facility in Cranbrook (Kootenay Street Village) was diagnosed with COVID-19.
READ MORE: COVID-19 staff case identified at Cranbrook seniors care facility
The City said that it’s important for residents to remain calm and continue to adhere to the effective and widely recognized physical distancing guidelines that the province’s health authorities have been advocating.
“We must look at this as our opportunity to strengthen our commitment to avoid group gatherings of any size, practice good personal hygiene and stay home as much as possible,” said the City. “We strongly advocate for all our residents to take these requirements seriously and continue to follow the advice from the public health agencies in the days and weeks ahead.”
The City went on to say that health officials have indicated that the virus is likely in every community in B.C., and that the behaviours of residents should reflect that assumption.
READ MORE: Why you don’t know which B.C. community has COVID-19 cases: Interior Health explains
“If this was not our approach, or if our resolve has lessened as time and urgency waned, we should take this news as a message to strengthen our commitment.”
The City of Cranbrook, along with their Regional Emergency Management Program partners, encourage all residents to focus on factual information and avoid spreading speculation or rumours.
“The plan in this emergency has always been to flatten the curve and slow the spread. This is being done through social distancing, strong hand washing practices and regular updates from our health authorities,” said the City release. “Our plan has not changed, it has only become clearer that we must all work together if we are going to change the result.”
The City also encourages residents to visit their website, www.cranbrook.ca, for up-to-date local information as well as the Regional District of East Kootenay website, www.rdek.bc.ca.
“Our community will get through this. We need to stick together and show compassion if we are to do that well,” said the City. “Each of us is ‘front line’ in this fight and we must to everything we can to protect ourselves, each other and our community.”
corey.bullock@cranbrooktownsman.com
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