Pandemics

Human diseases include a large array of parasitic, bacterial, and viral agents that can cause illness and death. A great variety of events can lead to disease outbreaks and epidemics among Squamish residents and visitors. The most notable disasters associated with human diseases include respiratory viruses, such as high-mortality influenza. 

A pandemic is a worldwide outbreak of a specific disease which affects a large proportion of the population and spreads rapidly. In a large-scale and sudden human disease outbreak, such as pandemic influenza, health care services may be unable to deal with the large number of expected patients.

Squamish falls within a Vancouver Coastal Health, Health Services Delivery Area. Vancouver Coastal Health is responsible for developing, maintaining, and implementing the pandemic response plan for the Sea to Sky Corridor. 

Resources:

• BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) Information on Novel Coronavirus
• Vancouver Coastal Health Statement on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• HealthLinkBC Coronavirus (COVID-19) information 
• Public Health Agency of Canada Coronavirus outbreak update
• Vancouver Coastal Health Pandemic Response Plan
• BC Center for Disease Control Updates on Emerging Respiratory Viruses
• Vancouver Coastal Health How to Stay Healthy Guide

Speak to someone: 

• Novel Coronavirus Information: 1.833.784.4397
• Health Information: 8-1-1

BC Centre for Disease Control channels to follow for updates:

• Twitter: @CDCofBC
• RSS feed: http://feeds.phsa.ca/bccdc-news.xml