By Canadian Press

Alert Bay’s tsunami siren signals curfew to fight COVID-19, says B.C. mayor

Apr 20, 2020 | 5:00 PM

ALERT BAY, B.C. — A siren is expected to sound tonight signalling the start of a COVID-19 curfew in the remote British Columbia community of Alert Bay.

Mayor Dennis Buchanan says the community’s tsunami warning siren will sound at 9 p.m. and everybody is expected to be off the streets and in their homes between 9:30 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Buchanan says there is a cluster of COVID-19 cases in the community of about 1,100 people, located off the northern end of Vancouver Island and accessible only by ferry.

The mayor says he’s not aware of how many people may have COVID-19 in Alert Bay but he was diagnosed with the disease earlier this month and has only recently recovered.

Premier John Horgan announced improved health services for rural and remote B.C. communities today that included 55 more ambulances, increased air access to hospitals and access to faster COVID-19 testing technology.

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Buchanan says Alert Bay’s hospital has 10 extended-care and four acute-care beds.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Monday, April 20, 2020.

The Canadian Press