Tuesday August 11, 2020 ~ VICTORIA, BC [Updated 8 am August 12, 2020]
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc., editor | West Shore Voice News
There are now 4,111 cases of COVID-19 in BC including 46 new cases in the last 24 hours). That sees the per-day case average maintained at about 45, a rate that has been climbing all summer.
Out of 2,072 tests done in the last 24 hours, the 46 new cases mean a test-positive rate of 2.2%. In BC testing is mostly done only on people either with symptoms or who have had a reasonable expectation of exposure to someone who is a known COVID-infected case. Health care workers and employees in some businesses are also tested. In BC to date, 290,150 tests have been conducted.
Presently there are 472 active cases of COVID across all Health Authorities in BC,.in other words, that’s how many people are home sick with the viral infection, or even in hospital (eight people in hospital today, of which five are in ICU). Recovery has been achieved by 3,444 people.
In the new-case tally of 4,111 today, 4,068 are test-positive while the epi-linked count remains steady at 43.
Meanwhile, 1,821 people around the province are officially in self-isolation (under the watch of public health) due to exposure or potential contact with someone who was exposed to COVID-19.
Regional profile across BC:
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 1,232 cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 2,167 in the Fraser Health region, 148 in the Island Health region, 393 in the Interior Health region, 100 in the Northern Health region and 71 cases of people who reside outside of Canada.
Catching and experiencing COVID:
COVID-19 infection is a serious illness. It can cause lung damage, cardiovascular complications for the longer term, and death. Treatment in hospital can include being put onto a mechanical respirator, which requires being sedated (in a coma).
The coronavirus that causes the infection (SARS-CoV-2) is spread through moist droplets by way of human breath; it can also be acquired from surfaces if people then touch their face.
Self-isolation requirement:
As of yesterday, there are 1,745 people in self-isolation due to possible or likely exposure to COVID-19, said Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry today; some of those people over recent days developed into active cases.
No new deaths:
There have been no new deaths for 11 consecutive days… total number 195 to date in BC.
The age factor:
The largest chunk of new cases today (i.e. 22 out of 46 cases or 47.8% ) are among people age 20 to 29 years. In the 30-39 year age group, there were seven new cases, and a total of 10 cases in ages 40 to 59 were tallied.
In persons age 60 to 69, there were four new cases in the August 11 stats, no cases in ages 70 to 79, but two cases in each of 80-89 and 90+.
Outbreaks:
“There have been no new health-care facility outbreaks in the region. In total, seven long-term care or assisted living facilities and one acute care facility have active outbreaks,” it was stated in a joint release today by Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix.
There are no new community outbreaks. The Krazy Cherry Fruit. Co. outbreak in the Interior Health region has been declared over. However, there continue to be community exposure events; including ones in Vancouver Coastal Health and Interior Health, and on flights into and out of British Columbia.
Alerts are posted on the BC Centre for Disease Control’s website, as well as on health authority websites, providing details on where the potential exposure occurred and what actions you need to take – whether you need to immediately self-isolate or monitor for symptoms.
Community exposure events — such as parties, events or airline flights from which cases of COVID-19 infection have resulted — are listed on the BC Centre for Disease Control website (with links to more specifics for each Health Authority).
Vancouver Island cases:
Today there are no new cases of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island (total remains steady at 148), and no one is in hospital in Island Health. There have been 140 recoveries in the island health region, and five deaths.
According to Island Health, of the 148 cases on Vancouver Island, 50 have been in the south Vancouver Island area, and 38 in central Vancouver Island. That leaves 60 cases occurring in the north (including the outbreak on Haida Gwaii).
Exposures to COVID-19 on Vancouver Island are itemized on the Island Health website.
In Vancouver Island to date, 48,563 tests have been conducted (192 of those in the last 24 hours).
No one under the age of 10 has had COVID-19 on Vancouver Island. Eight youth ages 10 to 19 have had COVID-19 on the island, as well as 20 people in the 20 to 29 year age group.
Adults in the 30-39 age group on Vancouver Island have shown 25 cases. Adults in the 40-49 age group have shown 21 cases, and adults in the 50-59 age group have seen 24 cases.
Among seniors and elders on Vancouver Island, the COVID-19 case profile by age is:
- 60-69 years: 18 cases
- 70-79 years: 23 cases
- 80-89 years: 8 cases
- 90+ years: 1 case
