VICTORIA -- B.C. health officials announced one more death related to COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the province’s total death toll to 209.
“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.
Meanwhile, 58 new cases of the virus were announced Tuesday, bringing the province’s total number of cases to 5,848 since the pandemic began.
Of those cases, 1,124 are currently active across the province, a record high in B.C.
Thirty-one people are now in hospital for COVID-19, 10 of whom require intensive care, say health officials.
Overall, 2,761 people are currently under public health monitoring due to exposure to a known case of COVID-19.
No new outbreaks were seen over the past 24 hours, but 10 outbreaks in the province’s health-care system are considered ongoing.
Eight of the outbreaks are a long-term care or assisted living facilities in the Fraser Health region, and two of the outbreaks are at acute care units.
Health officials continue to urge everyone to practise personal health measures like physical distancing, keeping social groups small, using a mask when in tight spaces and staying home when sick, especially as the regular flu and cold season approaches.
“As we transition to the next phase of our COVID-19 pandemic in B.C. and prepare for the respiratory season ahead, it is time for all of us to regroup and refocus our efforts to keep the number of new cases low and slow,” said Dix and Henry.
“Let’s use our layers of protection and make them a part of our daily routines each and every day this fall,” said the pair.
Meanwhile, the Northern Health region and First Nations Health Authority are reminding everyone of a COVID-19 exposure event in the Nass Valley.
Anyone who attended recent gatherings in the area between Aug. 21 and Aug. 25 is asked to contact the First Nation Health Authority and to self-isolate immediately if they develop symptoms.
The BC Centre for Disease Control continues to post exposure event advisories, as does as each individual health authority on their websites, added health officials.
Most COVID-19 cases have been found in the province’s Lower Mainland, with 3,072 discovered in the Fraser Health region and 1,922 confirmed in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.
Elsewhere in the province, the Interior Health region has reported 440 cases while the Northern Health region has seen 79.
No new cases appeared in the Island Health region since Monday, leaving the area’s total number of cases at 175 since the pandemic began.
An additional 79 people who live outside of Canada have tested positive for COVID-19 in B.C.
A total of 4,505 people who tested positive for the virus have now recovered in B.C.
