Photo Courtesy: Province of British Columbia, Flickr.

By Veronica Beltran

COVID Update

Highest number of COVID-19 cases in over two months in B.C.

Jul 17, 2020 | 3:22 PM

VICTORIA–28 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in today’s COVID-19 daily update, the highest number in over two months.

In the Northern Health Region, three new cases of COVID-19 were reported breaking a 37-day streak of no new cases in the north. The three cases were all in separate communities and two are travel-related. Originally a written release was supposed to be provided, however, due to unfolding events Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry saw it fit to make an in-person media appearance.

Cases by Health Region:

• Vancouver Coastal Health: 1,032
• Fraser Health: 1,676
• Vancouver Island Health: 136
• Interior Health: 235
• Northern Health: 68
• People who reside outside of Canada: 51

Dr. Henry spoke about the case announced earlier today by BC Hydro at their Site C Camp. Henry says that BC Hydro is following protocols and that this individual from Alberta did not have any contact with the surrounding community before self-isolating at the camp.

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“We have ongoing plans with industrial camps, particularly in the north, recognizing that there were essential work that needed to be done at those facilities and BC Hydro has been following all of the protocols,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C. Provincial Health Officer.

“We anticipate there will be more cases in the coming days.”–Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C. Provincial Health Officer.

Henry touched on the fact that many of the new cases they are seeing are in people in their 20’s and 30’s and have been at social events.

The PHO wants to remind individuals that although symptoms of the virus may sometimes be lesser felt by younger adults, that they have the potential to easily spread it to others.

“These flare-ups in our communities around the province are a concern. It is not necessarily unexpected but it is a warning to us that we need to do more to keep things in balance. This is one of the reasons I thought it was important to speak today.”–Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C. Provincial Health Officer

One new healthcare outbreak was reported today in Vancouver, and an alert for potential community exposure was also set in motion by Vancouver Coastal Health for anyone who may have been at the Sandman Suites Hotel on Davie’s St. between July 7 and July 16.

Anyone at that location is asked to self-monitor themselves for any COVID-19 symptoms and to call 8-1-1 if they develop any. As we head into another summer weekend, Dr. Henry suggested that anyone hosting an event, safely, should have a contact keeper. The contact keeper, could be like a little sign-in sheet the event host would keep in-case anyone in that circle becomes ill. Henry saying that it’s easier to contact trace using this method.

There is now a total of 3,198 test positive cases of COVID-19 in B.C., of which 207 are active. No new deaths were reported today, the province’s death toll remains at 189. 2,802 people have recovered from COVID-19 in B.C.

Photo Courtesy: Province of British Columbia, Flickr.