B.C. reports 131 new cases of COVID-19, 1 new case in Island Health since Friday

B.C. reports 131 new cases of COVID-19, 1 new case in Island Health since Friday
Province of BC
Chief Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry provides an update on COVID-19 on August 10, 2020.

British Columbia reported 131 new cases of COVID-19, including one new case in Island Health, over a three-day period.

From Friday to Saturday, there were 50 new cases. From Saturday to Sunday, there have been 37 new cases and from Sunday to Monday, there were 44 new cases. Of the new cases, one case is epidemiologically-linked, meaning a person who never tested but was presumed to have COVID-19 because they developed symptoms and were close contacts of a laboratory-confirmed case.

According to Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, the majority of the new cases developed in people who were already being followed after potential exposure to the novel coronavirus, with contact tracing helping to break the chain of transmission.

“We need to do better collectively to stop these exposures from happening,” Henry said during Monday’s briefing.

According to Henry, the majority of the new cases developed in people who were already being followed after potential exposure to the novel coronavirus.

B.C. has now reported 4,065 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, including 148 cases in Island Health, 1,220 in Vancouver Coastal Health, 2,139 in Fraser Health, 391 in Interior Health, 96 in Northern Health and 71 among people who reside outside Canada (visitors and temporary foreign workers.

There are 445 active cases in the province. Nine people are in hospital with COVID-19 (down two from Aug. 7), with three in intensive care (down one from Aug. 7). No new COVID-19 deaths were reported over the weekend.

Three of the active cases are in Island Health. None of the hospitalizations are in Island Health.

A total of 3,425 people have recovered in the province. As of Monday, more than 1,760 people in the province are being monitored due to close contact with a COVID-19 case.

And there were two new COVID-19 healthcare outbreaks in B.C., both in Fraser Health. The two facilities are the George Derby Centre, and the New Vista Care Centre.

There are now eight active healthcare outbreaks. There are no new community outbreaks as of Monday.

Henry said public health teams across the province have been breaking up parties, with fines levied against some people. She also said coming together in large groups, often indoors for several hours, is of great concern, and the majority of new cases are among people aged 20 to 39.

“There’s no better excuse than a global pandemic [to refuse to go to a party]. These guidance and documents and orders that are in place are for the protection of our community; do not ask people to break these rules,” she said.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said it’s important to not blame those who have tested positive, saying they “should be the subject of care, not the subject of scorn.”

“Our task this summer was to renew B.C. without reactivating the virus. The number of cases is climbing, the number of people in self-isolation is disturbing,” he said.

Approximately 44 new cases a day is too high,” he said.

Since early July, active COVID-19 cases have tripled in the province, following B.C.’s move toPhase 3  of the reopening plan, with more restrictions lifted.

Most students are scheduled to go back to school full time on Sept. 8 under new health and safety guidelines.

But thousands of B.C. parents have signed a petition to make the return to class a voluntary decision for families. And principals have asked the province to allow for a more flexible start date to ensure a safe return.

In the Monday press conference, Henry acknowledged that the return to in-class learning has been “anxiety-inducing” for some.

To see B.C.’s COVID-19 cases by day and health authority, along with testing numbers and recoveries, visit the B.C. COVID-19 dashboard.

B.C.'s COVID-19 cases by health authority, including the period from July 24 to Aug. 6. (BC CDC)

B.C.’s COVID-19 cases by health authority, including the period from July 24 to Aug. 6. (BC CDC)

To see the B.C. Centre of Disease Control’s list of public COVID-19 exposures, along with links to health authority community exposure alerts, click here.

Here are the latest numbers from across Canada:

There are 120,132 confirmed cases in Canada.

  • Quebec: 60,627 confirmed (including 5,696 deaths, 53,041 resolved)
  • Ontario: 40,161 confirmed (including 2,786 deaths, 36,381 resolved)
  • Alberta: 11,687 confirmed (including 213 deaths, 10,384 resolved)
  • British Columbia: 4,065 confirmed (including 195 deaths, 3,425 resolved)
  • Saskatchewan: 1,450 confirmed (including 20 deaths, 1,265 resolved)
  • Nova Scotia: 1,071 confirmed (including 64 deaths, 1,007 resolved)
  • Manitoba: 543 confirmed (including 8 deaths, 354 resolved), 15 presumptive
  • Newfoundland and Labrador: 268 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 263 resolved)
  • New Brunswick: 176 confirmed (including 2 deaths, 168 resolved)
  • Prince Edward Island: 36 confirmed (including 36 resolved)
  • Yukon: 15 confirmed (including 13 resolved)
  • Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed (including 13 resolved)
  • Northwest Territories: 5 confirmed (including 5 resolved)
  • Nunavut: No confirmed cases

Total: 120,132 (15 presumptive, 120,117 confirmed including 8,987 deaths, 106,355 resolved)

According to researchers with Johns Hopkins University and Medicine, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide is more than 20 million, with more than 733,000 deaths.

Watch Dr. Bonnie Henry and Adrian Dix on Aug. 10, 2020 below: 

 

With files from The Canadian Press and CBC

Alexa HuffmanAlexa Huffman

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