B.C. has identified 247 cases of COVID-19 in the past three days – more than in any other three-day period since cases started appearing in late January. That tally comes thanks to 84 new infections being recorded in the past 24 hours, according to government statistics released August 14.
Another sign that the province is heading toward wider proliferation of the virus that has caused a global pandemic is that there are now 629 people actively fighting infections. That is more than any time since May 7.
Comparatively few people have severe infections, as 12 people are in hospital, with only four of those being in intensive care units. The others are self-isolating at home.
The breakdown of the province's 4,358 COVID-19 infections by health region is:
• 1,354 in Vancouver Coastal Health (up 48);
• 2,276 in Fraser Health (up 34);
• 150 in Island Health (no change);
• 399 in Interior Health (up one);
• 107 in Northern Health (up one); and
• 72 people who reside outside Canada (no change).
No new deaths were recorded, leaving the province's death toll from the coronavirus at 196. There were 33 people who have newly recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 3,533.
One new health facility has an outbreak: New Westminster's Queen's Park Care Centre. Another health-facility outbreak is active at Vancouver's Joseph and Rosalie Segal Health Family Health Centre.
Seven seniors' care homes or assisted-living facilities have active outbreaks:
• Holy Family Hospital in Vancouver;
• Richmond Lions Manor in Richmond;
• Dania Home in Burnaby;
• Maple Ridge Seniors Village in Maple Ridge;
• Derby Manor in Burnaby;
• George Derby Centre in Burnaby; and
• New Vista Care Home in Burnaby.
"There are no new community outbreaks. However, there continue to be community exposure events around the province and on flights into and out of B.C.," said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix in a joint statement.
"This weekend, we urge everyone to stay strong and hold the line. We have it within our ability to make the changes we need to bend our pandemic curve back down and continue in our B.C. restart, but it takes the combined efforts of everyone, not just a few."
They both urged residents to stay a safe distance from strangers and to keep the number of contacts as low as possible.
"Remember that each new interaction outside your bubble holds a risk that you then bring back to your family and friends," they said. "In these circumstances, we must stand together by staying apart."
