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COVID-19 claims 17 lives in B.C. since Friday

Nearly 2,000 new cases since Friday, 17 deaths and new restrictions for public events
bonniehenryoctober26
Provincial health officer Bonnie Henry. | BC government

There were 1,933 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. since Friday, and 17 deaths.

"The majority of these people were seniors and elders in long-term care," provincial health officer Bonnie Henry said Monday.

And she suggested things could get worse as winter comes.

"As we move into winter, the virus spreads more easily," she said.

There are currently 277 people with COVID-19 in hospital and 59 in intensive care.

As a result of the increasing cases, Henry has recently announced a number of new province-wide restrictions for the next two weeks. The details of the new restrictions can be found here.

"Over the next two weeks, we need to urgently reduce the level of transmission in our province to keep our schools and work places open, and relieve that very real stress we are seeing right now on our health care system," Henry said.

New restrictions will affect movie theatres and events held in bars. Some Christmas themed events may be at risk. It depends on what the transmission rates do over the next two weeks.

Henry has ordered many public events cancelled until December 7. The exceptions are weddings, funerals, and baptisms. But events held in bars, restaurants, hotels, art galleries and movies theatres are to be cancelled until December 7.

That doesn't mean bars and art galleries can't remain open -- it just means they can't hold events that draw large gatherings, like art exhibition openings or live bands in bars.

The restrictions mean that certain Christmas themed events, like the holiday train at Stanley Park and Butchart Gardens lights display, must delayed until December 7.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said the general rule of thumb for public events is "anything which gathers people together on a one-time, regular or irregular basis." That includes private parties.

On a positive note, the number of British Columbians getting the annual flu vaccine this year has increased about eightfold this year -- about 808,000, compared to 118,025 last year.

There have been six new outbreaks in long-term and acute care facilities since Friday:

  • Lions Gate Hospital
  • North Peace Seniors Housing
  • Queenspark Care Centre
  • CareLife Fleetwood
  • Sunset Manor
  • Renfrew Care Centre

Outbreaks have been declared over at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and Evergreen Baptist Care Society.

Here are the daily numbers for Monday, November 23, with numbers for the last reporting period, Friday, November 20, in brackets:

New cases: 1,933 (516)

BC Total: 27,407 (25,474)

Active cases: 7,360 (7,122)

Recovered: 19,069 (17,477)

Hospitalized:  277 (227)

Intensive care:  59 (57)

Deaths:  348 (331)

Confirmed cases by region:

Vancouver Coastal Health:  414

Fraser Health: 1,304

Island Health:  48

Interior Health: 104

Northern Health:  61

More come.

[email protected]

@nbennett_biv