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B.C.’s COVID-19 response and latest updates for Nov. 20
Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, today (Nov. 20) issued the following joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia.
Today, we are reporting 516 new cases of COVID-19, including three epi-linked cases, for a total of 25,474 cases in British Columbia.
There are 7,122 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. There are 227 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 57 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.
Currently, 10,002 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases and 17,477 people who tested positive have recovered.
We have had 148 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 294 in the Fraser Health region, 17 in the Island Health region, 31 in the Interior Health region, 25 in the Northern Health region and no new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.
There have been 10 new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 331 deaths in British Columbia. We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have three new health-care facility outbreaks at Agecare Harmony Court Care Centre, Discovery Harbour Care and Youville Residence. There have been no new community outbreaks.
Yesterday, new and expanded provincial health officer’s orders came into effect around the province. The orders will help us slow the spread of COVID-19; to relieve the pressure on our health-care system and reduce the risks within our communities.
The province-wide orders are about all of us seeing fewer people, having safer workplaces and pausing higher risk activities.
The orders on social gatherings and events are to keep our families and friends safe. The best way to do that is to decrease our social interactions and spend as little time as possible with those outside of our immediate household.
In our workplaces, we want to be using all of the tools and resources to keep employees and customers safe and, importantly, keep as many businesses as possible open.
We also know that physical activity is key to our mental and physical well-being. The orders on group physical activities pause the activities that have proven to be high risk and continue the many other fitness activities and sports that are much safer for all of us right now.
We also strongly recommend that everyone focus on essential travel only and put aside recreational or social travel for now. It is not about community boundaries, it is about only going where we really need to right now.
We are all feeling the strain of COVID-19. By taking a step back right now, we will all be able to enjoy the confidence in knowing that here in B.C. we have flattened our curve once again.
Today, on World Children’s Day, let’s look to our future generations and the brightness ahead, and let’s do our part for every child in our province, our nation and the world.
Lead image: A sign at the eastern entry to Radium Hot Springs. Carrie Schafer/e-KNOW photo
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