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

“Today, we are reporting 567 new cases, for a total of 17,716 cases in British Columbia. There are 31 people in intensive care.

“There have been 122 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 411 in the Fraser Health region, three in the Island Health region, 22 in the Interior Health region, nine in the Northern Health region and no new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.

“There has been one new COVID-19 related death, for a total of 276 deaths in British Columbia. We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There has been one new health-care facility outbreak at The Residence in Mission. In total, 33 long-term care or assisted-living facilities and four acute-care facilities have active outbreaks.

“In the last two weeks, we have seen a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and outbreaks in health-care facilities centred primarily in the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health regions.

“These are the result of transmission in people’s homes and in many workplaces, including food processing facilities, retail locations, public venues, as well as with indoor group physical activities.

“The goal of our COVID-19 response is to maintain capacity within our health-care system, to protect those who are most vulnerable and to keep as much as possible going in our communities.

“We need to keep essential services and essential activities open and operating safely. This is now in jeopardy. As a result, we must now take further action to step back from our restart activities in the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health regions, to avoid potentially serious consequences for all of us.

“Today, new provincial health officer orders have been put in place for all individuals, places of work and businesses across the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health regions, with the exception of the central coast and the Bella Coola Valley.

“The orders are in effect starting today, Saturday, Nov. 7 at 10 p.m. through to Monday, Nov. 23, 2020, at 12 p.m.

“Right now, it is very important that everyone in these regions significantly reduces their social interactions.

“The orders focus on three areas: social gatherings, group physical activities and workplaces, and are outlined in the following backgrounder.

“We are putting measures in place to better protect people who participate in group physical activities and we are also requiring all businesses and worksites to revisit and ensure strict adherence to their COVID-19 safety protocols.

“We appreciate this takes sustained daily effort and sacrifice, but these actions are critical to us keeping businesses open and communities safe over the winter months.

“In support of this new order, active inspections are being increased and businesses that do not comply will be subject to fines, and/or ordered to close, until a refreshed safety plan and commitment to comply are established.

“Finally, we are strongly recommending travel into and out of these regions be limited to essential travel only and people within the regions stay within their local community, as much as possible. We ask those who live outside of the regions not to visit unless it is essential.

“Provincial health officer orders are always a last resort, and these additional measures are required right now.

“We need everyone to help us keep our wall strong to re-double our efforts to protect our hospitals, our schools, our workplaces and our communities.”

Learn More:

For more information about today's orders for the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal Health regions, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support/lower-mainland

BCCDC’s national and international COVID-19 epidemiological data: https://bccdc.shinyapps.io/covid19_global_epi_app/

BCCDC’s safer celebrations guidance: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/social-interactions/safer-celebrations

To learn more about the Oct. 5 modelling presentation, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/COVID19_Going_Forward_Oct_2020.pdf

To find the provincial health officer’s orders, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics/covid-19-novel-coronavirus

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

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 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

Two backgrounders follow.