Following a heli-ski tour in Crescent Spur, two American men have tested positive for Covid-19.
Crescent Spur Heli-Skiing and Heli-boarding owner and operator Mark Aubrey told MyPGNow that the guests reported ‘flu-like’ symptoms following the trip, and eventually tested positive.
Aubrey said the guests traveled back home to through the Prince George Airport on March 17, to Vancouver.
“Our incoming group arrived on March 14th and they were scheduled to ski through till the 21st,”
The lodge, located in the Robson Valley, offers six-day heli-ski tours.
Prior to the guests arriving, Aubrey said they had sent an email informing tourists of ‘higher risk’ countries identified by the Canadian Government, asking them to cancel if they are from or had traveled there in the past two weeks.
“Three people were from Spain so they did not come,” Aubrey noted.
“We also asked them to assess their own health, and if they were showing symptoms then they should not come,”
Aubrey told the guests of the current advisories but warned they could change.
“On Sunday (March 15), after their first day of skiing, we made the decision to cancel the remainder of the week, and I asked them to make travel arrangements for Tuesday,”
At the time (March 17), Aubrey said no one was showing any signs of illness.
“On March 20th, we received news that one guest was reporting aches and temperature, he was tested. We had another guest that was also experiencing high fever and he was tested on the 21st”
The following day they received news the first guest had tested positive and found out on March 24 that a second did too.
Ten staff, including Aubrey, have been self-isolating at the lodge, they are currently on day eight out of 14.
“Everyone is doing fine, we are monitoring each other for illness. We have one staff member that lives in Jasper, he went home on the 17th and a couple of days after that he was reporting symptoms and is awaiting his test results.”
They made the choice to close for the rest of the season.
“We made the difficult decision that it would be best for everyone if everyone returned home, I think I’m glad I made that decision, because that happened before anyone was exhibiting symptoms, and that allowed people to travel home and isolate.”