Whistler is experiencing a huge surge of COVID-19 cases.
The resort community has recorded 288 cases in January alone. To put it into perspective, this is more than the total of combined cases for all of 2020, which was 271.
The spike is reportedly being seen amongst the younger population. Officials in the health authority are attributing the cases to young people in their 20s and 30s who either live, work or socialize together.
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Where Are These Whistler COVID-19 Cases Coming From?
12 of the recent cases came from The Fairmont Chateau Whistler, a popular getaway resort.
Residents are saying it’s due to primarily young visitors that have come from around B.C. and across Canada to hit the slopes and socialize.
In addition, many restaurants in the village have had to close due to exposures.
Vancouver Coastal Health says that anyone that visited the following establishments on these dates may have been exposed:
- Buffalo Bill’s Bar & Grill between Jan. 4 and Jan. 27
- Black’s Pub between Jan. 5 and Jan. 27
- Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub between Jan. 1 and Jan. 27
- The Longhorn Saloon between Jan. 16 and Jan. 25
- Hy’s Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar on Jan. 13, 15 and 16
- El Furniture Warehouse on Jan. 12 and between Jan. 14 and 21
Whistler Asks For Visitors To Stay Home
Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton said his message has been clear for sometime and that people should stay home.
“In my view, we don’t have an economy without getting to the other side of this pandemic,” he stated.
The mayor also reiterated that people should not plan on visiting the resort during the upcoming Family Day long weekend if they are not local.
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