B.C. health officials have reported two more COVID-19 related deaths in the province, bringing the provincial death toll to 16.
The two new deaths are in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, and Minister of Health Adrian Dix said as of March 27, there are 67 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in B.C. The provincial total is now at 792.
Of the 792, there are 57 in the Island Health region (five more than March 26), 391 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 262 in the Fraser Health region, 70 in the Interior Health region and 12 in the Nothern Health region.
Two hundred and seventy five patients have recovered. Seventy-three patients are in hospital
Two more long-term care homes in the province have staff with confirmed cases of COVID-19: The Harrison at Elim Village in Surrey and Independent Living at Langley Gardens.
A total of 11 long-term care homes in the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health regions have COVID-19 cases.
Henry and Dix released the numbers in a statement having already made a previous appearance Friday morning.
“In the past few days, our upward path has been less severe in other places, but we continue to see steady increases in community transmission cases and continue to be concerned about outbreaks, which could quickly grow and challenge our pandemic response,” Henry and Dix said.
“The evidence is clear: with every person in British Columbia 100 per cent committed to physical distancing, we can flatten the curve. Over the next two weeks, we must be united in this one goal.”
A COVID-19 “worst case scenario”was released by the province earlier Friday. It suggests physical distancing and other measures are beginning to have an impact.
The data shows the province more closely mirrors the South Korean experience, rather than the situation in Italy where deaths from the pandemic have skyrocketed.
READ MORE: Dr. Henry cautiously optimistic that BC’s measures are making impact on COVID-19
It finds the trajectory of new cases in B.C. changed from a 24 per cent average daily increase to 12 per cent as of March 21st.
Henry says travel restrictions and social distancing measures are making a difference and people need to keep it up for the coming weeks.
With files from The Canadian Press
CHEK News
