BC health officials have announced 11 more deaths in the province over the past 48 hours as a result of COVID-19, bringing the total to 69.
During an update from provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on Monday, she revealed that most of the newly reported deaths were linked to long-term care facilities.
Since the previous announcement made on Saturday, April 11, Dr. Henry said there had been an additional 45 new confirmed cases of the COVID-19. That brings the provincial total up to 1,490.
Among those new cases, three were reported on Vancouver Island.
The total of confirmed cases in the Island Health region is now 87.
Elsewhere, there are 650 cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, 591 in Fraser Health, 136 in Interior Health and 26 in Northern Health.
Of the total case numbers, there are currently 137 people hospitalized, with 58 of those cases in intensive care. Of those hospitalizations, 12 are in the Island Health region.
On a positive note, 905 people have fully recovered from their COVID-19 symptoms.
A large point of concern for health authorities across Canada has continued to be long-term care facilities, although here in BC, no new facilities had reported outbreaks in the past 48 hours, said Dr. Henry during Monday’s update.
Another location that is raising concerns is a federal correctional facility in Mission, where the total of confirmed COVID-19 cases has now hit 35 inmates – 8 who have been hospitalized.
This was the 50th provincial update since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and Dr. Bonnie Henry suggested that she, alongside other health officials, will continue to provide them as long as necessary.
“It’s a key part of how we are trying to keep you informed and make sure that you know everything that we are doing and that we all have the information that we need to take the actions to protect our families,” said Dr. Henry during the press conference.
She also reassured British Columbians to continue the social distancing efforts that the public has been showcasing in the past several weeks.
“It is so important for all of us to keep going with everything that we are doing now. It is holding us, it is holding our line, it is allowing us to deal with these issues in a way that is the best that we can do for our province,” said Dr. Henry.
Health Minister Adrian Dix also gave an update on the current hospital bed situation in the province.
According to Dix, BC’s acute care system is operating at 56 percent of bed capacity, while the critical care system sits at 48 percent bed capacity.
The duo also commended British Columbians on recent travel trends during the long weekend.
“We’re very happy with the work that has happened at land borders and at airports, a lot of it led by BC public servants. We’re very proud of their work, very proud of the fact that so many people who have come have filled out self-isolation plans where they can,” added Dix.
A requirement for approved self-isolation plans for all returning travellers to the province kicked into effect on April 10 and since then, 1,701 have returned from around the world, following the newly required safety procedures.
“We have been united in keeping our firewall strong across this province,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry.
Dix also addressed concerns being raised over non-essential passengers continuing to take the BC Ferries.
“One of the reasons why there is a lot of focus on people who are not following the rules or seem not to be following physical distancing rules is the extraordinary work that is being done by everybody,” said Dix. “Of course it is not perfect, and maybe it can’t be perfect, at least it is not perfect yet, but I remain amazed and respectful at the same time of all those Brtish Columbians who are sacrificing so much in this cause.”
Dix said that the numbers they’ve received from the BC Ferries show a 92% decrease in ridership from last year during the Easter Weekend.
Watch the April 13, 2020 news conference below:
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