“We can still be festive, we can still have fun, but let’s ensure it is only with our immediate household”

DR. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, on Thursday announced 711 new COVID-19 cases, including seven epi-linked cases, for a total of 36,132 cases in British Columbia.

There were 11 new COVID-19-related deaths, and the total number of deaths in the province now stands at 492.

There are 9,050 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. There are 338 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 76 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.

Currently, 10,957 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases and 25,658 people who tested positive have recovered.

There have been 143 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 427 new cases in the Fraser Health region, 10 in the Island Health region, 81 in the Interior Health region, 50 in the Northern Health region and no new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.

There have been two new health-care facility outbreaks at Peace Arch Hospital Foundation Lodge and at Richmond Hospital, and the outbreak at Youville Residence is over.

Henry and Dix said: “We continue to face a significant surge in community transmission and new cases of COVID-19, which means following the provincial health officer’s (PHO) orders and using all our layers of protection is necessary for every person in our province right now.

“The virus is not letting up and neither can we. This weekend, let’s stay small and stay local, so we can slow the spread of the virus in our province.

“We can still be festive, we can still have fun, but let’s ensure it is only with our immediate household.

“Today, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) released the results of the Your Story, Our Future population health survey on a new SPEAK survey dashboard, funded by the BCCDC Foundation for Public Health. The survey was the largest-ever Canadian population health survey, with almost 400,000 British Columbians taking part.

“What the survey dashboard shows us is that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us all. It also reminds us that each of us can make a difference, and the efforts we make will help us get through this pandemic.”