Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, have issued the following joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia:

"Today, we are announcing 58 new cases, including one epi-linked case, for a total of 5,848 cases in British Columbia.

“There are 1,124 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, 2,761 people who are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases and 4,505 people who tested positive have recovered.

“Currently, 31 individuals are hospitalized with COVID-19, 10 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.

“Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 1,922 cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 3,072 in the Fraser Health region, 175 in the Island Health region, 440 in the Interior Health region, 160 in the Northern Health region and 79 cases of people who reside outside of Canada.

“There has been one new COVID-19 related death, for a total of 209 deaths in British Columbia. We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There have been no new health-care facility outbreaks. In total, eight long-term care or assisted-living facilities and two acute-care facilities have active outbreaks.

“There have been no new community outbreaks, although there continue to be community exposure events.

“The Northern Health region, the First Nations Health Authority and the Nisga’a Valley Health Authority (NVHA) have issued a joint alert for anyone in the Nass Valley who may have attended recent gatherings between Aug. 21 and 25. Any gathering attendees are asked to contact the NVHA clinic and if symptoms develop, to immediately self-isolate.

“Alerts are posted on the BC Centre for Disease Control's (BCCDC) website, as well as on health authorities' websites, providing details on where the potential exposure occurred and what actions to take, whether you need to self-isolate or monitor for symptoms.

“As we transition to the next phase of our COVID-19 pandemic in B.C. and prepare for the respiratory season ahead, it is time for all of us to regroup and refocus our efforts to keep the number of new cases low and slow.

“We have the knowledge and we have the tools that we can all use to be safe, no matter where we may be.

“Let’s use our layers of protection and make them a part of our daily routines each and every day this fall.

“Keeping our groups small, using a mask when we are inside and in close contact with people we don’t know, giving others the space to stay safe in uncontrolled environments, washing our hands regularly and always staying home when ill – these important actions will help to protect our communities and keep our loved ones safe.

“As each of us does our part, scientists throughout our province are also actively working on the latest COVID-19 research.

“The BC COVID-19 Research and Collaboration Symposium, a virtual collaboration of B.C.’s academic health sciences network, involving public health, epidemiology, social science and education researchers from all around B.C., began today.

“The symposium is focused on furthering our understanding of the impacts of COVID-19 and the related public health measures.

“To be successful, our COVID-19 plan is about all of us to doing our part – our world-leading researchers, our businesses and all of us as individuals. It is about protecting our neighbours and our colleagues, as we protect ourselves.

“We have the tools, we have the knowledge and now we must prepare for the challenges that may lie ahead in fall with renewed commitment, new routines and proven safety precautions.”

Quick Facts:

• Assisted living, long-term care homes and seniors' rental buildings with ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks are as follows:
  • Fraser Health:
    • Bear Creek Villa independent living facility
    • Czorny Alzheimer Centre long-term care facility
    • Derby Manor independent living facility
    • George Derby Centre long-term care facility
    • Maple Ridge Seniors Village assisted living facility
    • MSA Manor long-term care facility (second outbreak)
    • New Vista Care Home long-term care facility
    • Normanna Living long-term care facility

Learn More:

To see a map of COVID-19 cases by local health area, visit:
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/data

If you are experiencing symptoms, find a collection centre near you to get tested:
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/testing

Find out more about the new enforcement of public health officer orders on events:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020PSSG0046-001568

If you have plans this weekend, follow Dr. Bonnie Henry’s Good Times Guide: https://goodtimes.gov.bc.ca/

For mental health and anxiety support, visit: www.bouncebackbc.ca
Or: www.anxietycanada.com

For a listing of the community exposure events, go to:
BCCDC (flights, work sites, etc.): http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/public-exposures
Fraser Health: fraserhealth.ca/covid19exposure
Interior Health: https://news.interiorhealth.ca/news/public-exposures/
Island Health: https://www.islandhealth.ca/learn-about-health/covid-19/outbreaks-and-exposures
Northern Health: https://www.northernhealth.ca/health-topics/outbreaks-and-exposures
Vancouver Coastal: http://www.vch.ca/covid-19/public-exposures

For B.C.’s surgical renewal plan and the first report on its progress from July 21, visit:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0228-001337

For the latest medical updates, including case counts, prevention, risks and testing, visit: http://www.bccdc.ca/
Or follow @CDCofBC on Twitter.

For non-health related information, including financial, child care and education supports, travel, transportation and essential service information, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/covid19
Or call 1 888 COVID19 (1 888 268-4319) between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. (Pacific time), seven days a week.

For the latest videos and livestreaming of COVID-19 media availabilities, visit:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BCProvincialGovernment/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BCGovNews 
YouTube: www.youtube.com/ProvinceofBC