Monday March 9, 2020 ~ BC
by Mary Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
The first death due to COVID-19 in BC was announced today March 9, 2020 by BC Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry in a joint update session with BC Health Minister Adrian Dix.
A male resident of Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver died late last night, after being infected with the coronavirus sometime this month.
The elderly patient had not travelled; the infection came by way of a care worker through a process that public health officials call ‘community spread’.
There is no cure or vaccine for the new virus, with the only treatment being to ease symptoms and provide ventilation with a respirator in advanced cases.
BC reported this first death as well as five new cases in this province.
As of Monday’s update, the province reports 32 cases of COVID-19. All cases so far are in the Lower Mainland, with none on Vancouver Island.
Both Dr Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix reminded people about staying home if you’re sick. That includes staying home from large and smaller close-contact gatherings, especially where personal contact is expected.
Travel on cruise ships is now directed as inadvisable, as said by Minister Dix on March 7.
Today there is a ‘no cruise ships’ advisory for all Canadians from Canada’s top doctor, Dr Teresa Tam: “Today the Public Health Agency of Canada is recommending that Canadians avoid all cruise ship travel due to COVID-19.”
“Most of Canada’s cases include travellers from an affected area, or their close contacts,” Tam said this morning in Ottawa.
=============== NOTES:
As evidenced by the two cases at the Lynn Valley Care Centre long-term care centre in North Vancouver, BC is now experiencing ‘community spread’ of COVID-19. T
As of March 8 there were 105,586 cases of COVID-19 around the world, but with growing number (23.4%) of that tally in countries outside of the original Chinese epicentre of the new disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
=== LINKS
Pandemic Plan is in place in BC, says Premier (article about 2-hour BC Health media announcement on March 6, 2020)
COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and planning materials: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics/pandemic-influenza.
Recommendations on protecting yourself and your community, visit: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/coronavirus-(novel)
For more information and latest updates on COVID-19, follow the BC Centre for Disease Control on Twitter @CDCofBC or visit http://www.bccdc.ca/
