Tuesday September 8, 2020 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc., Editor | Island Social Trends
There are now 6,591 test-positive cases of COVID-19 in BC (97 epi-linked), of which 1,386 are active including 32 people in hospital (12 people in ICU or acute care).
Today’s new case count within the new total provincial total is 429 (12 of those epi-linked). That represents the tally of four days of new cases over the Labour Day long weekend into today: Fri-Sat 123 new cases, Sat-Sun 116 cases, Sun-Mon 107 cases, Mon-Tues 83 cases.
There were two more deaths over the long weekend, bringing the total to 213 in BC since the pandemic began. Both were in long-term care, one in Fraser Health and one in Vancouver Coastal Health.
By gender there is a fairly even split between male and female who’ve contracted COVID-19: 3,230 female and 3,233 male.
Age profile:
For the last couple of weeks the highest case count increases have been seen in the working-adult age groups, particularly 20-29 and 30-39 years of age.
Today’s four-day increase in those two age categories was 98 and 100 cases respectively. Cases in the 20-29 & 30-39 groupings combined (i.e. 1,462 and 1,318) are 42.1% of BC total cases. That’s a rising percentage (up from 41.9% on Friday September 4 and that was up from 41.7% on September 3).
Most of the young adult tally is from exposure to COVID-19 during socializing, said Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry earlier this week. Workplace exposures are safer than private family gatherings and being at bars or restaurants.
Nightclubs and banquet halls ordered closed on September 8:
Today September 8 Dr Henry issued a new order that nightclubs and banquet halls must close immediately, due to the inability to prevent COVID-19 transmission during events in those types of establishments.
Regular bars and restaurants may remain open under their current public health orders, with their safety workplans in place.
BC PHO orders are posted here. During a provincial state of emergency, all orders must be followed.
Children and youth:
In BC since the pandemic began, a total of 512 children and youth (173 in ages 0 to 19 years, and 339 in ages 10 to 19) have been test-positive for COVID-19.
It has been generally believed that children have an easier time of the COVID-19 disease, but all persons regardless of age can spread the virus, whether or not they have symptoms.
BC is now tracking a post-COVID inflammation response in children (called MISC) which indicates a more serious impact of the viral infection with longer term effects.
If you’re exposed, you’re under watch:
As a result of identified exposure to known cases, 3,036 people are under active public health monitoring said Dr Henry today (down slightly from 2,801 yesterday, but very much up from 2,792 before the long weekend.
That means public health is ‘in their face’, making sure they stay isolated and checking up daily on symptoms. They are likely to be missing out on work or school or time with family and friends.
Recovery profile: 4,978 people in BC who have tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered (i.e. 75.5% of cases).
Front lines in long term care:
Among people who work in long term care, 295 staff have tested positive for COVID-19. Among residents of long-term care in BC, 458 have contracted the disease.
Watch for alerts:
Alerts about outbreaks and exposures are posted on the BC Centre for Disease Control’s (BCCDC) website, as well as on health authorities’ websites.
There you will find details on where a potential exposure occurred and what actions to take — whether you need to self-isolate or monitor for symptoms.
Getting through the tough times:
Today Health Minister Adrian Dix talked about the qualities, traits, and virtues that it will take to make it through” a different but challenging time”, comparing the effort to that of people who lived through World War II. He rhymed off a new list of requests of the people of BC, to exercise “dedication and discipline, patience and perseverance, sacrifice and selflessness”.
As a backstop to that, he again listed off the current tallies of personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies that have arrived in BC and that continue to stockpile. He says that all PPE gets tested to be at or beyond the standards for use by health care workers in BC.
Front line workers in health care are among the most critical of personnel in BC during the pandemic.
Much of the efforts for flattening the epidemiological curve of COVID-19 cases is to maintain a level of capacity and endurance in hospitals and related health care resources. So that if British Columbians do see a surge of COVID-19 cases they will know the capacity is there for their care.
Vancouver Island COVID-19 profile:
There were four new cases on Vancouver Island over the Labour Day long weekend, bringing the total case number on the island to 184. Profile: one new case in ages 20-29 years; two new cases in ages 30-39; one new case in age 50-59.
Of the total Vancouver Island cases since the beginning of the pandemic, 172 have recovered. Five people have died (no one in many weeks).
Presently seven people are counted as ‘active cases’ (same as before the long weekend) and there continues to be no one is in hospital with COVID-19 within Island Health.
Here is the ‘daily cases’ graph for Vancouver Island. It shows we had the curve pretty well beat in May and June, but during the summer it started heading upward:
===== LINKS (provided by government):
For the latest modelling information presented on Sept. 3, visit:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/COVID19_Going_Forward_Sept_2020.pdf
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 the second monthly progress report on B.C.’s surgical renewal plan, visit:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/2020_surgical-renewal-commitment-progress-report-June-July-2020.pdf (http://https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/2020_surgical-renewal-commitment-progress-report-June-July-2020.pdf)
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
