Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, have issued the following joint statement regarding updates on the COVID-19 response in British Columbia:
“Today, we are reporting 832 new cases, for a total of 100,880 cases in British Columbia.
“There are 7,571 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, with 11,608 people under public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases. A further 91,732 people who tested positive have recovered. Please note, these numbers are provisional due to a delayed data refresh and will be verified once confirmed.
“Of the active cases, 296 individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 79 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.
“Since we last reported, we have had 310 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 388 new cases in the Fraser Health region, 53 in the Island Health region, 42 in the Interior Health region, 39 in the Northern Health region and no new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.
“There have been 90 new confirmed COVID-19 cases that are variants of concern in our province, for a total of 2,643 cases. Of the total cases, 192 are active and the remaining people have recovered. This includes 2,214 cases of the B.1.1.7 (U.K.) variant, 50 cases of the B.1.351 (South Africa) variant and 379 cases of the P.1 (Brazil) variant.
“There have been five new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 1,463 deaths in British Columbia.
“To date, 787,549 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca-SII COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in B.C., 87,394 of which are second doses.
“Today, people 72 and older, Indigenous peoples 18 and over, and individuals who are clinically extremely vulnerable and have received a letter identifying them as such, can book their appointments. The current supply of AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine has also been made available to people between the ages of 55-65 in the Lower Mainland – our highest transmission area.
“Starting today, long-term care and assisted-living residents across the province can see their family and friends and can leave their home without needing to self-isolate on their return. We recognize and thank you for the sacrifices you and your families have made over the past year.
“We all need to ensure we are socializing safely. If you choose to spend time with anyone other than your immediate household, it must be outside. You also need to ensure you are giving enough space to others, staying away if you are feeling at all unwell, and staying with the same group of people.
“Travel between communities – beyond what you would do for a day trip – remains high risk for all of us. This is not the time for leisure or vacation travel, or a vacation rental in another community. Rather, this weekend, explore your local region instead.
“We all have the same ability to spread the COVID-19 virus and we all have the same ability to slow the spread. Staying small, staying outside and local will help us to bend our curve down and stay safe.”
Learn More:
For provincial health officer's orders and guidance, visit:
Guidance on restrictions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support/restrictions
Latest vaccine information:
For vaccine information, visit the BCCDC dashboard: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/data
Or: www.bccdc.ca
Joint statement on first deployment of AstraZeneca vaccine in B.C.: https://news.gov.bc.ca/24001
The latest updates, guidance and information on COVID-19, and where to get tested:
The latest medical updates, including case counts, prevention, risks and to find a testing centre near you: http://www.bccdc.ca/ or follow @CDCofBC on Twitter.
For data regarding ongoing outbreaks in long-term care, assisted-living and independent-living facilities in B.C., visit: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/data#outbreak
Mental health support:
Mental health and anxiety support: www.bouncebackbc.ca
Or: www.anxietycanada.com
Or: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/about-covid-19/mental-well-being-during-covid-19
Or: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/managing-your-health/mental-health-substance-use/virtual-supports-covid-19
To share your feedback in the Personal Impacts of COVID-19 Survey, visit: https://www.bcchr.ca/POP/our-research/pics
Non-health related information:
Financial, child care and education support, travel, transportation and essential service information: www.gov.bc.ca/covid19
Or call 1 888 COVID19 (1 888 268-4319) between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. (Pacific time), seven days a week.
COVID-19 exposure events, updates and information by health authority:
BCCDC (flights, work sites, etc): http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/public-exposures
Fraser Health: fraserhealth.ca/covid19exposure
Interior Health: https://news.interiorhealth.ca/news/public-exposures/
Island Health: https://www.islandhealth.ca/learn-about-health/covid-19/outbreaks-and-exposures
Northern Health: https://www.northernhealth.ca/health-topics/outbreaks-and-exposures
Vancouver Coastal Health: http://www.vch.ca/covid-19/public-exposures
For the latest videos and livestreaming of COVID-19 media availabilities, visit:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BCProvincialGovernment/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BCGovNews
YouTube: www.youtube.com/ProvinceofBC
A backgrounder follows.