86 new cases of COVID-19 in BC since Saturday, 2 new cases for the Northern Health region making for a provincial total of 950

Health Minister Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province's Public Health Officer provided for two days of data and information today, as the two officials who are leading the provincial response to COVID-19 began another week of updates for British Columbians.

It was a review of the weekend cases that made for an increase of 86 new case files making for a provincial total of 970 to date in British Columbia.

“In the first reporting period through March 28, we had 16 new cases, for a total of 900 cases in British Columbia. “In the last 24 hours, we have had a further 70 new cases, for a total of 970 cases in British Columbia. “This represents 86 new cases since we reported on Saturday.

Every health region in British Columbia has patients with COVID-19: 472 are in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 323 are in the Fraser Health region, 67 are in the Island Health region, 94 are in the Interior Health region and 14 are in the Northern Health region."

Sadly the number of those who have passed away in British Columbia rose by two over the weekend, which brings the total of those who have died during this outbreak to 19, that included the first death in the community as a result of COVID-19 as confirmed by the BC Coroners Service.

Mr. Dix continued to outlined the preparations currently underway in the Province as British Columbians prepare to travel in an important period in the response program.

“We are at a critical juncture in our provincial COVID-19 response. We have two paths ahead: we will begin to see evidence of a flattened curve or our rates of infection will rise even more. 

Our entire government is doing everything we can to address this challenge, and we need every person in our province to do the same. Let us be united in this singular purpose: in these next two crucial weeks we must be 100% committed to flattening the curve and lessening the devastating impacts of this virus. 

While we are watching the epi-curve closely, we continue with the active readiness of our health-care system to prepare for the potential of a large spike in COVID-19 cases. “A shipment of one million surgical masks has arrived as we continue to restock our provincial personal-protection equipment supplies." 

The province has designated 19 major hospitals across the province as primary COVID-19 facilities to deliver care to the most critically ill patients. In the Northwest, the Ministry of Health has designated Terrace's Mills Memorial Hospital as this regions COVID-19 Acute Care Facility.


You can review more the Monday briefing here.

The BC Centre for Disease control has some valuable Coronavirus notes related to COVID-19 you can explore that information here.

You can learn more about the outbreak from both the Province and the Federal government from the links below:

Federal Government site

British Columbia Government site

The World Health Organization website also offers up the latest advisories on the global situation.

More from  Northern Health can be reviewed here 

You can review our archive of past statements and local information here.

Local governments and organizations have also provided for increased awareness of COVID-19 issues, the string of statements that came quickly at the end of the week can be reviewed here.

For notes from across Canada and British Columbia we have been archiving the latest items through our political portal Darcy McGee

Ottawa Observations

Victoria Viewpoints

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.