News

Northern Health’s Prince Rupert COVID-19 testing collection centre is moving to a new location in the Ocean Centre Mall.

To date, COVID-19 testing has been available at the Prince Rupert Regional Hospital, just outside the Emergency Department. Effective Monday January 11, 2021, the new location will be #300 3rd Avenue West (the Prince Rupert Health Unit).

At the new testing location, appointment-based testing will continue on Monday to Friday, excluding Statutory Holidays.

At approximately 5:45pm January 5, 2021, an NH Connections highway coach carrying one passenger was involved in a single vehicle incident on Highway 97, approximately 15 kilometres north of Quesnel.

The incident is under investigation, but at this time it appears the incident was weather-related. There were no life-threatening injuries to either occupant of the bus; the passenger was unharmed, and the driver is receiving care at GR Baker Memorial Hospital in Quesnel. The NH Connections bus was on a regular short-haul route between Prince George Quesnel, at the time.

Northern Health Medical Health Officers have declared a COVID-19 outbreak on the Rehabilitation Unit at the University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC) in Prince George, following a single, lab-confirmed, patient case of COVID-19.

Monitoring and testing is underway to identify any additional cases, and at this point there is no evidence of ongoing transmission on the unit. NH public health recommends any recently-discharged clients self-monitor for COVID 19 symptoms, and to seek testing if symptoms develop.

Northern Health has launched the HealtheLife patient portal, where Northern BC residents who received care at a Northern Health hospital or urgent and primary care centre can view hospital-based health information, including COVID-19 results, online.

Whether accessing the portal on a computer or smartphone, Northern BC residents can also view upcoming appointments, additional lab tests, and imaging results.

Every New Year’s Day, Northern Health monitors its hospitals and labour and delivery units for the birth of New Year’s babies across the region.

Watch this page for updates on the birth of New Year’s babies in communities across the North.

First Northern Health baby of 2021 born in Prince George

Northern Health is pleased to announce that the North’s first baby of 2021 was born in Prince George, and it’s a boy!

Ongoing monitoring and testing has identified additional COVID-19 cases associated with an outbreak declared by NH Medical Health Officers on December 19, 2020, at two workforce accommodation sites on the Coastal Gas Link (CGL) project.

Ongoing monitoring and testing of staff and patients following declaration of a COVID-19 outbreak on the Internal Medicine Unit (IMU) at University Hospital of Northern BC in Prince George, has identified additional lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Northern Health Public Health continues to monitor a COVID-19 outbreak at the LNG Canada Project Site in Kitimat, BC, among staff of Diversified Transportation working at the project site.

As of December 30, 2020, 16 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 in association with this outbreak (no change since the December 22 update). There are now no active cases (a change from nine).