Mayor says Delta ‘can’t afford’ traditional Halloween with surge in COVID-19

DELTA (NEWS 1130) — The mayor of Delta is urging residents to be responsible this Halloween as rising COVID-19 cases south of the Fraser River cause concern.

With Halloween on Saturday this year, Mayor George Harvie says that doesn’t mean people need to go out and party.

Doing so attracts large crowds, and two weeks after Halloween, case counts could surge again, he says.

The Fraser Health region has been dealing with the bulk of COVID-19 cases in the province. The area currently has 75 per cent of B.C.’s active cases, according to the health authority.

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“I’m very worried at the direction this is going. I hope people wake up,” Harvie says.

“I’m very worried at the direction this is going. I hope people wake up.” – @MayorofDelta

Fraser Health, which includes Delta, has 75% of BC’s active COVID-19 cases. pic.twitter.com/oux7PCvRJ8

— Tim James (@_TimJames) October 28, 2020

Halloween has to be done differently this year, he adds.

“It needs to be done in your home, in your backyard. We can’t have these large gatherings,” he says. “Make this Halloween different, make it a fond memory for your children, but don’t make it traditional. We can’t afford it.”

But he says he isn’t against trick-or-treating, as long as it is does safely.

Watch: How to celebrate Halloween safely

The mayor also says there is a segment of the region’s population that isn’t following public health regulations, and he says the next step could be more closures in B.C.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced a new order Monday limiting the size of gatherings in private homes after a three-day record of more than 800 COVID-19 cases were reported in B.C. over the weekend.

Harvie says if the province announces any new health guidelines, police and bylaw officers will be ready to enforce them.

“We will enforce those regulations as requested by the provincial medical health officer.”