No COVID-19 deaths in B.C., new cases lowest in five days

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) — B.C. recorded no COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday and for the first time in five days saw fewer than 20 new cases.

The province reported 13 new cases, bringing the total to 3,128 overall.

I know it was distressing to me to see 20, especially 25 one day,” Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said of the uptick in new cases. “That’s way above my comfort zone.”

She added the increase in cases was expected as the province relaxed health and safety protocols and moved into the third phase of its economic reopening plan.

The key is being able to trace the contacts of those who were exposed to the virus and stop transmission Henry said. 

“We are being more active and we are unfortunately transmitting this disease, but we are also monitoring closely and public health teams are actively working to manage every single case and make sure we find all of those close contacts who are at risk.”

Henry also said a good portion of new cases are related to the ongoing outbreak at Holy Family Hospital, a long-term care home in South Vancouver.

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The two deaths reported Monday were at the latter. Holy Family has now had 15 deaths and 75 cases overall, including 48 residents.

The province reported no new health facility or community outbreaks, although three remain active at two long-term care homes and an acute care ward.

Interior Health issued an isolation order Monday for Krazy Cherry Fruit Co. in Oliver due to two positive COVID-19 cases associated with this farm, including a worker.

“I do also want to remind people that food is not a source of transmission of COVID-19, for the most part,” Henry said.

She also reiterated, since the first incubation period since Canada Day has passed, anyone feeling symptoms can get tested anywhere in B.C.

“We know that COVID-19 symptoms can be mild, making it very easy to spread the virus to those that we’re close with, and those that we’re close to,” she said.

“That’s why it is so important that we all stay away, stay home, skip those parties, skip that travel if we’re not feeling 100 per cent well. That means that you will have the opportunity to go another day. We need to recommit to the basics of fewer faces and bigger spaces. And we need to stay away from those higher risk environments, or if we are in those higher risk environments, make sure that we’re doing things that make it safer, and that includes staying away from closed spaces as much as possible. Outdoors is better than indoors, keeping your group small. This is important whether you are inside or outside. If it’s a house party, you may not know all of the people who are there, and you may not know the risks that they’re bringing with them, as well.”

Henry added the requirement in restaurants and pubs for no more than six people in a group is done deliberately and needs to be followed.

Regarding the recent exposure event in the Kelowna downtown and waterfront areas, Henry said the virus was introduced in a single group comprised of people from the Interior, Lower Mainland and Alberta and infected 17 of them.

Henry said others outside the group were also exposed to the virus as a result.

She again reinforced the ban on gatherings is limited to groups of fewer than 50 people.

Henry said she’s heard of parties of 20 people showing up at restaurants and wanting to pull tables together, but that is not allowed.

“And you know that is a risk to people who are working in that environment, and there’s reasons why we have these smaller numbers right now, and this is what’s going to get us through this next year,” she added.

“So this is going to be our dance over the next few months, where we do what we can do, we travel, we have those social interactions, but we do it in a measured and thoughtful way so that we can find people quickly, so making sure we know the people that we’re with, or that if we’re in a restaurant or a nightclub that we’re able to contact people, and that helps us make sure that people know if they’re at risk, so they can prevent transmitting it to the people they’re close to.”

Health Minister Adrain Dix added he was pleased the federal government extended the closure of the Canadian border with the U.S. for non-essential travel to Aug. 21.

He also said B.C. had 6,212 visits to emergency rooms across B.C. Monday, surpassing the number seen in early March, around when the pandemic started.

COVID-19 cases by health region since the start of the pandemic: 1,015 people Vancouver Coastal; 1,649 in Fraser; 135 in Vancouver Island; 212 in Interior; 5 in Northern; and 52 people who are residents from outside of Canada.

Of the 209 active cases in B.C., 14 people remain in hospital, including five in intensive care.

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