There was one new death since Tuesday from COVID-19, bringing the total to 14, but fewer new cases.
In a press briefing Wednesday, March 25, public health officer Bonnie Henry reported there were 42 new confirmed new cases since Tuesday, bringing the total infection rate to 659.
That's down from the 78 new cases reported Tuesday. There are now nine long-term care facilities with confirmed COVID-19 cases, up from eight yesterday. The Broadway Pentecostal Lodge is the latest facility to report a COVID-19 infection.
There has been one more death at the Lynn Valley Care Centre, bringing total to 11 at that care home, and 14 total in B.C.
A total of 183 patients infected with the virus have now recovered.
Henry said 55 health care workers have been infected. She included in that list the dentists who were infected from attending a dental conference earlier this month. Henry said many of the health care workers who have been infected were believed to have been infected in the community, not in the workplace.
Under a public health emergency declaration, people have been asked to avoid gatherings of more than 50 people, to self-isolate and work from home, where possible.
She said it will take about a week before the impact of social distancing is expected to be reflected in lower numbers of new infections.
"I am hopeful, and I'm hopeful that we're not seeing dramatic increases in numbers, but we are still in the waiting and watching phase," she said.
Henry urged faith leaders to abide by the order to keep gatherings below 50. It is particularly important to adhere to those orders over the next two weeks, Henry said.
She said even family gatherings need to be avoided.
"W need to continue to not meet in groups," she said. "Even groups of 10, groups of twenty...even two or three can sometimes be that transmission point."
Here are the cases by region, with number from Tuesday, March 24, in brackets.
- Vancouver Coastal Health: 339 (330)
- Fraser Health: 218 (194)
- Island Health: 47 (44)
- Interior Health: 47 (41)
- Northern Health: 9 (9)
