Smaller gatherings the better from Dr. Bonnie Henry, as BC records another 42 cases of COVID-19

Dr. Bonnie Henry, the British Columbia Provincial Health Officer provided for the latest case file numbers from the BC COVID-19 watch on Wednesday, with the Dr. and Health Minister Adrian Dix noting of 42 new cases in the province, making for a total of 659 cases, nine of which are located in the Northern Health region.

“One additional residential care home now has a confirmed case – a health-care worker at the Broadway Pentecostal Lodge in the Vancouver Coastal health region. Public health officials are providing support to implement outbreak protocols.

It is with sadness we share that one more resident of the Lynn Valley Care Centre has passed away. That brings us to a total of 14 people who have died after testing positive for COVID-19. We extend our condolences to their loved ones. 

Every health region in British Columbia has patients with COVID-19: 339 are in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 218 are in the Fraser Health region, 47 are in the Vancouver Island Health region, 46 are in the Interior Health region and nine are in the Northern Heath region.

Additionally, of the total COVID-19 cases, 64 individuals are currently hospitalized, 26 of those in hospital are in intensive care and the remaining people who have tested positive for COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.

One hundred and eighty-three patients with COVID-19 are now considered fully recovered and no longer have isolation requirements."

Both the Doctor and Minister Dix highlighted the ongoing efforts on Physical distancing, with Dr. Henry reviewing the current protocols on gatherings and advising that smaller is better.

“An order is in place prohibiting gatherings larger than 50 people. This is not an order of convenience, but a requirement to protect everyone in our province – especially our elders and those most vulnerable to severe illness – from COVID-19. 

We remind all British Columbians that while 50 is the maximum number, the smaller, the better. Community connection is very important during this challenging time, but it must be done safely, either virtually or with physical distance. Celebrations and ceremonies that bring many people together, including our elders and seniors, need to be postponed. 

With enhanced cleaning and physical distancing precautions in place, we can keep everyone safe and keep many businesses, including all the essential services we need, going."


To review more from today's statement see their Wednesday update 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.