There are now 4,677 cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in B.C. after health officials announced 83 new cases Tuesday.
Deputy provincial health officer Dr. Reka Gustafason reports that there are 1,447 cases in Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), 2,473 in Fraser Health, 156 on Vancouver Island, 407 in Interior Health and 120 in Northern Health.
Additionally, there have been 74 cases of COVID-19 in B.C. of people who reside outside of Canada.
There has been no new health-care facility outbreaks. In total, nine long-term care or assisted-living facilities and one acute-care facility have active outbreaks.
There are no new community outbreaks. However, there continue to be community exposure events and on flights into and out of British Columbia.
There have been no new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 198 deaths in British Columbia.
Of the total COVID-19 cases, six individuals are hospitalized, three of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. As well, 2,326 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases.
There are 775 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 3,704 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered.
“If you have COVID-19 or have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19, public health teams are here to support you. You can help them and your community by answering their call quickly and providing as much information as you can. Quickly isolating people who have COVID-19 and reaching their contacts is one of the most effective ways of controlling spread," said Gustafason.
“If your friend or family member is self-isolating, show you care by assisting them with the essentials they may need.
“To support public health teams throughout our province and protect the people we care about most, we have to take the time to assess the risks before we spend time with others. The effort is small, but the benefits are immense.
“We need to continue to protect those who are most vulnerable – our seniors and Elders, and those with underlying health conditions – by thinking about who we are being exposed to, and who we may be exposing, when spending time with others.
“Seeing friends may seem safe, but if you are in close contact with an elderly family member, your visit may inadvertently put them at risk.
“Let’s use our layers of protection, giving ourselves and those around us the space to stay safe no matter what we are doing or where we may be. This is how we protect our communities and stay strong.”
