14 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C., no deaths

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The 14 new cases put B.C. at a total of 2,694 test positive cases, 183 of those are active cases, with 13 people in hospital and 5 in ICU. No deaths were reported today.

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Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry addressed the report from the B.C. Coroners Service, that showed the highest number of monthly deaths to overdose in May, 2020. 170 people died due to illicit drug use in the month of May, the highest monthly rate since December of 2016, when 161 people died.

Henry expressed her condolences, with a shaky voice, and teary eyes, to the families and friends of those who have lost someone to illicit drugs.

“These are our brothers and sisters, our coworkers,our sons our daughters, our friends our community.”—Bonnie Henry, B.C. Provincial Health Officer

“There has been a dramatic increase (in deaths),” said Dr. Henry during her update, and mentioned that over the past several months B.C.’s health resources have been stretched, battling two health crisis—COVID-19 and the overdose crisis. Henry mentioning that isolation during the pandemic can make it easier for those using to hide it from others.

“There is no single cause, there is no single magic bullet,” to fixing the overdose crisis, however she says that providing a safe supply of drugs to those who do choose to use, works. “It is connection that helps us address addiction,” added Henry saying that the connection that comes with the safe drug supply allows for the address of it.

“We must all show the compassion we have shown in the COVID crisis (to the overdose crisis)”—Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer

Reducing the stigma around drug use, is also something Dr. Henry mentioned that we need to work on as a province, in order to allow people to come forward and admit they’re using drugs without fear.

2,344 people have recovered from COVID-19 in B.C. No new outbreaks were reported today.

Photo courtesy, Province of British Columbia Flickr.