Wednesday September 2, 2020 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc., Editor | Island Social Trends
Another 104 cases of COVID-19 were announced today in BC, bringing the province-wide total (since the beginning of the pandemic) to 5,952 (5,872 test-positive and 80 epi-linked).
Today’s stats come with a reminder from the Provincial Health Officer to keep social bubbles small and maintain all the COVID-19 safety measures such as physical distancing, frequent hand washing, and staying home if you’re feeling the least bit unwell.
Age profile:
The highest case increases by age were seen in ages 20-29 and 30-39 (47 cases or 45.1% of today’s provincial increase). Today 11 children were included among the new cases (all youth under age 19), or 10.6% of today’s increase.
Today’s new stats from the BC Centre for Disease Control included 11 new cases (or 10.6% of today’s increase) in ages 40-49 years, and also 11 new cases in ages 50-59 years.
Hospitalization:
In BC there are now 33 people in hospital with COVID-19 (up by two from yesterday), of whom 14 are in intensive care (up by four from yesterday).
Patients who end up in intensive care are frequently put onto a ventilator to help them breathe; that includes being put into an induced coma. This is serious stuff.
In self-isolation:
There are presently 2,786 people in self-isolation due to known exposure to COVID-19 in BC. That’s up by 25 from yesterday (yesterday the tally was up by 38 from the previous day).
Self-isolation comes at a cost including time away from regular activities, friends and workplace. There are costs for necessities (like groceries) to be delivered, or the time and exposure cost for family or friends to do that for the isolated person. There is probably extra laundry to do, and higher electricity consumption at home (for laundry, cooking, recharging electronics that you might otherwise do at work or in your car, etc.). You might even run up your phone bill a bit more (talking to people to help with self isolation).
Contact tracers working for BC Health keep track of people in self-isolation, keeping track of symptoms and helping to ensure that needs are met (as a way to support and facilitate self-isolation).
Another 500 contact tracers are in the process of being hired in BC in order to handle the combination load of influenza season combined with the expected COVID-19 second wave this fall.
Recovered:
The number of people who are considered recovered from COVID-19 (receiving a test-negative result after infection) is 4,605.
After-effects can and do linger for days, weeks and months after the viral infection is considered gone. Impacts can include continued fatigue, and cardiovascular inflammation (including a multi-system inflammatory condition seen in children, which doctors in BC have been told by the Public Health Officer to watch for).
Economic impacts may include reduced income due to being home sick. Social impacts include isolation away from family, friends and co-workers.
Deaths:
The COVID-19 death tally in BC is now 209 since the start of the pandemic (one new death counted today).
Back to school:
The continued COVID-19 case count increases (and a spike in hospitalization) comes just days ahead of return-to-school.
Teachers, families and students are making decisions about their preferences for level of interaction with others (distance, remote, and home-schooling options are being made available by most school districts in BC).
Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry says the success of schooling during the pandemic will be improved if the level of general spread of COVID-19 in the community can remain low.
===== Links:
BC Centre for Disease Control: COVID-19 dashboard (updated Monday to Friday)
If you are sick with COVID-19 (BC Centre for Disease Control)
How to self-isolate (BC Centre for Disease Control) – PDF