B.C. records 849 COVID-19 cases, one death as high transmission stresses health care system
Posted April 20, 2021 4:51 pm.
Last Updated April 20, 2021 4:59 pm.
VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) — B.C.’s health officials say health care workers and hospitals are getting pushed to their limits as COVID-19 continues to spread across the province, with another 849 people testing positive for the virus since Monday.
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New cases per health region in #BC:
247 Vancouver Coastal (30,106)
474 Fraser (69,133)
29 Island (4370)
67 Interior (10,228)
31 Northern (6869)
1 non-residents of Canada (183)#bcpoli @NEWS1130— Marcella Bernardo (@Bernardo1130) April 20, 2021
One more person has died due to COVID-19, and hospitalizations continue to set new records – with 148 of the 456 patients undergoing treatment in the ICU.
There are 9,145 active cases and 13,679 people are under public health monitoring because they’ve been exposed to a known case.
Of the 6,179 which have been confirmed as variants of concern, 163 cases are active.
In total, 4,041 of the B.1.1.7 (U.K.) variant, 76 of the B.1.351 (South Africa) variant and 2,062 of the P.1 (Brazil) variant have been recorded in B.C.
Outbreaks have been declared at the Dawson Creek and District Hospital, and Surrey Memorial Hospital.
The outbreak at the Long Lake Chateau is over.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 1,539 people in B.C. have died, 120,889 people have been infected, and 109,973 people (90.1 per cent) who tested positive have recovered.
A little more than 1.4 million doses of vaccine have been distributed in the province, and of those, nearly 89,000 are second doses.
If you are 35 years and older, you’re eligible to register for a vaccine on the Get Vaccinated website. And if you’re 40 years old or older, you’re also eligible to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine at your local pharmacy or through special clinics in 13 high-risk communities.
Related Article: COVID-19 vaccinations in B.C.: What you need to know
Tuesday’s COVID-19 update comes as the province has announced new orders will be put in place to restrict vacation and recreational travel outside people’s health region starting Friday. The travel restrictions would be in place until at least May 25 according to Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth.
“We also need everyone else to do their part – staying local, in our communities and health regions, and waiting until it is safe to travel once again,” the COVID update from Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix reads.
