VICTORIA -- B.C. health officials say 62 new cases of COVID-19 have been found in B.C., bringing the province’s total to 5,304 since the pandemic began.
No new deaths were seen over the past 24 hours, leaving the province’s death toll at 203 on Wednesday.
“We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix in a joint written statement.
There are now approximately 900 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 21 people who are in hospital for treatment, seven of whom require critical care.
Meanwhile, a total of 2,730 people are currently under public health monitoring due to exposure to known COVID-19 cases.
No new health-care outbreaks were recorded Wednesday, though 12 outbreaks continue to be active in the health-care system. Ten of the outbreaks are located in long-term or assisted living centres and two of the outbreaks are at acute-care facilities.
Similarly, no new community outbreaks were seen over the past 24 hours, though community exposure events continue to be seen in B.C., as well as on flights in and out of the province.
“When health regions issue community exposure alerts, the alerts are specific to the location, date and time of potential exposure,” said Dix and Henry.
“If you or your family may have been exposed, follow the public health advisory. Otherwise, no action is required,” said the pair.
Community exposure events can be found on the BC Centre for Disease Control’s website and on local health authorities’ websites.
Health officials noted Wednesday that many families may still be concerned over the upcoming school year.
Henry and Dix say that everyone will need to learn to adapt to the new school setting, as British Columbians have adapted to similar changes at businesses, grocery stores and social gatherings.
“School will be new for everyone this year – just as how we spend time with friends and how we operate our businesses has required a different way of doing things than we have ever done before,” said the pair.
“With COVID-19 in our communities for many months to come, new routines will be needed that can sustain families for the entire school year,” said Dix and Henry.
B.C. Education Minister Rob Fleming outlined back-to-school plans on Wednesday afternoon. He spoke on the “cohort”, or “learning group,” structure as well as multiple contingencies should restrictions be needed at schools due to a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Students are expected to return to B.C. schools on Sept. 10 for two days of health and safety orientation.
Most COVID-19 cases have been found in the province’s Lower Mainland, with 2,795 recorded in the Fraser Health region and 1,699 confirmed in the Vancouver Coastal Health region since the pandemic began.
Meanwhile, the Island Health region has seen 170 cases, the Interior Health region has confirmed 429 and the Northern Health region has reported 133.
A total of 78 people who reside outside of Canada have tested positive for COVID-19 in B.C.
As of Wednesday, 4,199 have recovered from the virus in B.C.
