COVID-19 update: Nearly 500 new cases, 2 more deaths reported in B.C. over the weekend

VANCOUVER — In the first COVID-19 update of the week, B.C.’s top doctor revealed the province added another 499 cases of the disease to its overall tally.

Dr. Bonnie Henry gave the update during a live briefing in Victoria Monday afternoon.

Henry said 172 cases were recorded from Friday to Saturday while another 153 cases were reported from Saturday to Sunday. Finally, 174 more positive tests were counted from Sunday to Monday.

Seven of the new cases reported over the weekend were epidemiologically linked, Henry said.

In total, B.C. has recorded 11,687 cases of the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. Henry said 9,753 people have recovered from the disease, leaving 1,639 active cases in the province.

“One can say we are in our second wave here, of our COVID-19 storm here in B.C.” Henry said during the news conference.

“But we have control over what that wave looks like … there continues to be COVID-19 transmission in many parts of our province, and we know that this is expected. This virus has not gone away.”

However, Henry said she’s encouraged that B.C. hasn’t seen exponential growth of the disease.

“We do have more people in hospital than we did a few weeks ago, but that has also stabilized,” she said.

As of Monday’s update, 67 people were in hospital because of the disease, with 19 of those in acute care.

Multiple new outbreaks confirmed

Henry’s update also confirmed details on outbreaks reported in the Fraser Health region over the weekend. On Sunday, Fraser Health announced an outbreak at J&L Beef Ltd. after 13 employees tested positive for the disease.

The health authority also announced outbreaks at two long-term care homes in its jurisdiction: the Village in Langley and Rosemary Heights Seniors Village in Surrey.

Additionally, on Monday, Fraser Health said a staff member at Zion Park Manor, a long-term care facility in Surrey, tested positive for COVID-19.

Henry said a second outbreak at the Royal Arch Masonic Home was also reported.

Two outbreaks were reported over, she said, including one at Banfield Pavilion House and another at the Yaletown House.

“That leaves us with 19 active outbreaks in our health-care system,” Henry said.

Henry urged British Columbians to do their part to avoid a “steep and steady increase in new cases,” like other parts of the country has seen.

“We know that this can happen and when it does, it can overwhelm our health-care system,” she said. “That is difficult not just for our frontline health-care workers, it means it’s more challenging to care for anyone who is ill, whether from COVID-19 or another illness.”

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