VICTORIA -- B.C. health officials announced 100 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, bringing the provinces’ total to 6,691.
No new deaths related to the virus were reported over the past 24 hours, leaving the province’s death toll at 213.
There are now 1,378 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, including 37 people who are in hospital for treatment, 15 of whom require critical care.
Meanwhile, 3,101 people are now under public health monitoring due to exposure to known coronavirus cases.
Nearly 100 more people have recovered from COVID-19 in B.C. over the past day. A total of 5,086 people who had tested positive for the virus are now considered recovered.
Two new coronavirus outbreaks have been reported at health-care facilities in the province.
One outbreak is at the Royal Arch Masonic Home long-term care facility in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and the other is at the Milieu Children and Family Services Society community living facility in the Fraser Health region.
There are now 15 outbreaks in the province’s health-care system: 12 at long-term care or assisted-living facilities and three at acute-care facilities.
All of the outbreaks are in the Vancouver Coastal Health or Fraser Health regions.
No new community outbreaks have appeared since Tuesday, however, community exposure events continue to occur.
“Alerts are posted on the BC Centre for Disease Control’s (BCCDC) website, as well as on health authorities’ websites, providing details on where the potential exposure occurred and what actions to take – whether you need to self-isolate or monitor for symptoms,” said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix in a joint written statement.
On Wednesday, Henry, Dix and B.C. Premier John Horgan outlined the province’s plan to manage the COVID-19 pandemic during the flu and cold season.
While changes are coming to the health-care system to brace for the influenza season, health officials continue to ask British Columbians to practice basic health measures, like physical distancing, keeping social circles small and consistent and staying home if feeling unwell.
Henry and Dix say that following these health practices will help reduce the spread of both COVID-19 and the seasonal flu, which will in turn reduce health-care demands at hospitals.
“This fall and winter, we will be facing two health challenges – the usual respiratory season as well as COVID-19,” said Dix and Henry. “What this means is that we have to put measures in place now to ensure our health-care centres, communities and all of us are ready for what may be ahead.”
Health officials are also encouraging everyone to get a flu shot this year, if possible.
“The steps each of us takes today and in the coming weeks, including taking a few minutes to get your influenza immunization, will make a difference tomorrow,” said the pair.
Most of the province’s COVID-19 cases have been located in the Lower Mainland. A total of 3,482 cases have been found in the Fraser Health region and 2,285 have been confirmed in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.
Elsewhere in the province, the Island Health region has reported 185 cases, the Interior Health region has confirmed 462 and the Northern Health region has discovered 193.
Eighty-four people who reside outside of Canada have tested positive for COVID-19 in B.C.
