Health
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 COVID-19 response in British Columbia:
“Today, we are reporting 498 new cases, for a total of 89,427 cases in British Columbia.
“There are 4,851 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, with 9,472 people under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases. A further 83,083 people who tested positive have recovered.
“Of the active cases, 281 individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 83 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.
“Since we last reported, we have had 128 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 291 new cases in the Fraser Health region, 12 in the Island Health region, 31 in the Interior Health region, 36 in the Northern Health region and no new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.
“Due to a lab sequencing issue, no new variant of concern data is available today. As of the most recent report, there have been 996 confirmed COVID-19 cases that are variants of concern identified in our province.
“To date, 444,140 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca-SII COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in B.C., 87,093 of which are second doses. Vaccine appointment bookings are open for people over age 82, adding one year each day this week for people 80 and older by the end of the week, along with Indigenous peoples over 65.
“There have been four new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 1,411 deaths in British Columbia.
“There have been no new health-care facility outbreaks.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that how we spend time with family and friends is different than what we did before. As we did last summer, it means using our layers of protection and always having safety top of mind.
“We can renew those important social connections, and the public health orders now allow for outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people in public spaces or outside our homes.
“If you choose to see others, then please connect safely, so you are not inadvertently increasing the risks to your loved ones or yourself.
“Some may choose a day of snowshoeing, others a bike ride with friends or a playdate at your local beach. The key is to keep it small, to keep to the same group of people and to keep using your protective layers.
“This is a time of hope and renewal for all of us. Let’s continue to work together to get to the brighter days ahead.”
Learn More:
To view the March 11, 2021, modelling presentation, visit the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) website: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/modelling-projections
Latest vaccine information:
For vaccine information, visit the BCCDC dashboard: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/data
Or: www.bccdc.ca
Joint Statement on first deployment of AstraZeneca vaccine in B.C.: https://news.gov.bc.ca/24001
Provincial health officer orders and guidance:
Guidance on restrictions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support/restrictions
The latest updates, guidance and information on COVID-19, and where to get tested:
The latest medical updates, including case counts, prevention, risks and to find a testing centre near you: http://www.bccdc.ca/
Or follow @CDCofBC on Twitter.
For data regarding ongoing outbreaks in long-term care, assisted-living and independent-living facilities in B.C., visit: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/data#outbreak
Mental health support:
Mental health and anxiety support: www.bouncebackbc.ca
Or: www.anxietycanada.com
Or: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/about-covid-19/mental-well-being-during-covid-19
Or: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/managing-your-health/mental-health-substance-use/virtual-supports-covid-19
To share your feedback in the Personal Impacts of COVID-19 Survey, visit: https://www.bcchr.ca/POP/our-research/pics
Non-health related information:
Financial, child care and education support, travel, transportation and essential service information: 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.
COVID-19 exposure events, updates and information by health authority:
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 Health: http://www.vch.ca/covid-19/public-exposures
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
A backgrounder follows.
