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:

“We are announcing 34 new cases, for a total of 1,370 cases in British Columbia.

“Every health region in British Columbia has patients with COVID-19: 626 are in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 508 are in the Fraser Health region, 82 are in the Island Health region, 130 are in the Interior Health region and 24 are in the Northern Health region.

“We are saddened to report two new COVID-19 related deaths, one in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and one in Fraser Health region, for a total of 50 deaths in British Columbia. We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones.

“There have been no new long-term care outbreaks in the last day, and the outbreak at Villa Cathay facility has been declared over. Vancouver Coastal and Fraser health teams continue to provide support to the 20 remaining affected long-term care and assisted-living facilities, which have a combined 235 cases of COVID-19.

“To date, 858 people who had tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered and no longer require isolation.

“Of the total COVID-19 cases, 132 individuals are currently hospitalized, 68 of those are in intensive care and the remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.

“To flatten the curve, we must ensure our health system is robust and fully able to address the unparalleled challenges of COVID-19. We must also take care of our front-line workers so they can care for us, protect and support our most vulnerable, and do all we can to keep our firewall strong.

“This is a challenging time for all of us – physically, emotionally and mentally – especially when our meaningful connections are virtual connections. There are many resources available and, as the Province announced today, more are on the way. If you are struggling and need help, please reach out.

“This holiday weekend is not the time for travel, unless absolutely necessary. Rather, let’s make it an ‘unwind and be kind’ weekend at home. There are lots of things we can do to relax, have fun and connect with family, friends and our local community at a safe distance.

“Residents at long-term care and assisted-living homes are very vulnerable to COVID-19. One of the most important things we can do to protect them, and those caring for them, is to make it possible for workers to provide services at a single facility, reducing the risk of virus transmission between facilities.

“Using orders under the Public Health and Emergency Programs acts, we have implemented a process to support workers to work at a single facility. This includes development of a new labour agreement that ensures all workers – at health authority, non-profit and private facilities – receive an equitable wage and work-hours scheduling stability so they can work at a single site without disrupting services for residents.

“Long-term care and assisted living care-giving and support staff are responding courageously to monumental challenges during this unprecedented time, and deserve our respect and support.”

Learn More:

To view the new single-site orders, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/phoguidance

For all provincial health officer orders, notices and guidance, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/phoguidance

For the Joint Statement by the Ministers of Health for British Columbia and Alberta, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0127-000665

To learn more about new mental health and anxiety supports announced today, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020MMHA0009-000655

For more information about connecting virtually with loved ones over the long weekend, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020PSSG0019-000671

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., seven days a week.

For recommendations on protecting yourself and your community from COVID-19, and to use an online self-assessment tool, visit: www.bccdc.ca/

The COVID-19 self-assessment app can be downloaded here: https://bc.thrive.health/

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

For a Chinese translation: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/New_ExistingCasesCOVID-19_2020.04.09_CN.pdf