B.C. Minister of Health Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, say there are seven new COVID-19 cases in the province as of Friday.
None of the new cases are in Island Health, which remains at a total of 130 cases since the pandemic began. Of those 130 cases, 125 have recovered and there have been five deaths.
There are 178 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 2,444 people who tested positive have recovered.
Of the active cases, 11 individuals are hospitalized (one more than June 18), six of whom are in intensive care.
There have been no new COVID-19 related deaths as of June 19. The death toll remains at 168 in B.C.
It is the first full week with no deaths related to COVID-19 since mid-March.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 952 cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 1,446 in the Fraser Health region, 130 in the Island Health region, 197 in the Interior Health region, and 65 in the Northern Health region.
There have also been no new health-care facility outbreaks. In total, six long-term care or assisted-living facilities and one acute care facility have active outbreaks.
And there are no new community outbreaks. There continue to be three remaining community outbreaks.
Dix and Henry released Friday’s COVID-19 numbers in a statement and also addressed the allegations of a racist “game” being played by hospital staff in the provincial health care system.
“We’ve recently been made aware of some serious allegations of racist activities within one or more hospital emergency departments in B.C.,” Dix and Henry said in their statement.”
“There is no place in our province for racism of any kind. Not on our streets, at work, at school and not in our health-care system.
“An investigation has been launched, and we are committed to work on next steps required to ensure everyone in our health-care system receives respectful and culturally safe care.”
Henry and Dix said British Columbians must be both 100 per cent committed to flattening the COVID-19 curve and “must do the same when it comes to addressing racism.”
“On June 21, as we honour Canada’s Indigenous peoples and celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day, as well as Father’s Day, let’s use this same momentum to stand against intolerance. Let’s celebrate the incredible diversity within our province and how this enriches us all,” Henry and Dix said.
“If you choose to come to together with loved ones and friends, take the necessary precautions to do so safely, with kindness, compassion and tolerance.”
To see B.C.’s COVID-19 numbers by day and the number of tests, visit the BC COVID-19 dashboard.
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Alexa Huffman
