More than 125,000 people have been infected with COVID-19, and 4,613 have died, since the virus was first identified last November. While the first reports are from abroad, on January 27 a Vancouver man returning from a business trip to China tested positive. As of yesterday, March 12, there were 53 confirmed cases in British Columbia. One of these is on Vancouver Island, where a man in his 60s is currently quarantined in his home. He and two other confirmed victims, from the Fraser Health Region, just returned from a tour in Egypt. With these reports moving closer, the Discovery Islands area is preparing for COVID-19
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Spring Migration of Whaletown Post Office
Whaletown Post Office — much photographed by tourists — has a long and interesting story (you can find out more at the Cortes Museum). It has served the community for over 70 years.
When its tenure on private property near Whaletown Wharf could no longer be maintained, Whaletown residents banded together to “Save the Post Office” and find it a new home. After several weeks of discussion and some generous donations to “buy more time,” a solution was found: Whaletown Community Club agreed to host the Post Office in the Community Hall parking lot.
Once the destination was chosen, the ad hoc Post Office Committee (“Friends of V0P1Z0”) worked tirelessly to plan and execute the relocation. On the weekend of March 6th-8th — as the clocks changed — their plans were realised: the Whaletown Post Office moved to a new and sunnier location next to the Whaletown Community Hall.
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A legal Observation Of ‘The Rule Of Law’
Opinions expressed in the article that follow are not necessarily shared by Cortes Currents, its board, or other producer/authors. Trigger warning: The following program contains graphic descriptions of serious human rights violations.
Tactical teams with assault- and sniper-rifles dropped out of black helicopters. Specially trained military-style police demonstrated snowmobile stunt skills. Indigenous heroes sang songs of love and consequences on a Mad-Max battle-bus. There appeared to be directors and cinematographers. It was a high-budget production. I had a front-row seat and played the role of Legal Observer.
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Miles Meester’s Body Found
National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A month to the day he went missing, a young man’s body was brought out the woods on Cortes Island and home to his family.
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Hospital Board Fears Island Health Is Ignoring Local Wishes
(Editor’s note: The following article mentions matters of concern to residents of the entire Greater Campbell River Health Area, which includes Cortes, Quadra and other Discovery Islands.)
The Comox-Strathcona Regional Hospital District board (CSRHB) wants consultation of clinical pathology samples to remain in the Comox and Campbell River hospitals. It notified Island Health, twice, and received no answer. Now, with the current pathology contracts coming up for renewal at the end of this month, the hospital board fears Island Health is ignoring local wishes to retain pathology services.
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