Thursday November 26, 2020 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc., editor | Island Social Trends
A record number of daily new test-positive cases of COVID-19 was reported for November 26 by the BC Centre of Disease Control. The tally of 887 (three of which are epi-linked), brings the BC total to 29,973 cases.
BC provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix, issued a joint written statement regarding pandemic updates today, as they do each weekday. Dix was otherwise occupied in the swearing-in of the new BC cabinet, done remotely due to the pandemic. Dr Henry was no doubt considerably occupied with all the matters at hand to do with COVID.
“Slow and steady is what we need with COVID-19 and it is how we will get through this second wave. The efforts we make each day make a difference,” it was stated in the release.
BC COVID stats at November 26:
Now 7,899 cases are active in BC, with 294 people hospitalized (64 of those in intensive care); the others are recovering at home in self-isolation.
As well, 10,307 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases. They are at home self-isolating.
Now 19,998 people who tested positive have recovered.
The regional distribution of cases is about the same — i.e. seeing most in Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health regions in the lower mainland. The 887 new cases were seen in Fraser Health (612), Vancouver Coastal (168), Island Health (18), Interior Health (65) and Northern Health (24). There were no new cases among Canadians who reside outside of Canada.
On only one other day this week were there 13 COVID-related deaths, and today it was 13 once again. That brings the death total to 384.
“We have had two new health-care facility outbreaks at Royal Ascot Care Centre and Amica White Rock, both on the lower mainland. The outbreaks at Hamlets at Westsyde, Peace Portal Seniors Village and Village by the Station are over. (See list of all long-term care events, at the bottom of this article).
There have been no new community outbreaks. But there are school exposures, including a new one at an elementary school in SD61 (at Sir James Douglas in the Fairfield neighbourhood of Victoria).
Vancouver Island COVID stats at November 26:
There were 18 new cases of COVID-19 test-positive infection reported in Island Health today. That brings the total on Vancouver Island to 544 of which 171 are currently active.
The distribution of 171 active cases is 46 in the South Vancouver Island area, 108 in central and 16 in the north (that is off by one case, a discrepancy with the BC CDC dashboard.
Total case distribution all year in Island Health has been 177 in the south, 245 in central, and 122 in the north, for a total of 544 cases.
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Island Health is up to five (hasn’t been that high since the first wave), with one in intensive care today. There have been no new COVID deaths since September 28 on Vancouver Island; the total rests at six.
Wear and tear on health-care teams:
Doctors and nurses and health care teams have been working non-stop since the pandemic was first called on March 17, 2020 — not just in around COVID but also with the ‘surgical renewal’ (catchup) after surgeries were cancelled and postponed in the first wave.
The resilience of health-care teams is going to be a key factor going forward through the second wave in these winter months now.
“Let’s support our public health teams, which are tirelessly working to track the virus, break the chain of transmission and keep all of us safe,” said Dix and Dr Henry in their release today. They ask people to limit their contacts… ” keep to as few faces as possible right now”.
Contact tracers are key players in tracking COVID-19 viral spread. “Exposures and transmission can happen anywhere. By paying attention to the places we go and the people we see, we can help contact tracers contain the further spread if that does occur.” Yesterday Minister Dix said the number of contact tracers is up to 1,200 now (above the number already in place as of August 2020, and higher than the original new-contingent of 500 that were promised in August).
Stay connected, stay healthy:
Staying connected through phone calls and virtual technology as well as being active outdoors are both important things to do for social contact and fresh air as well as movement.
Preventive measures to protect one’s health and well-being is important for individuals, families and communities.
GOVERNMENT LINKS:
For information on overdoses, visit: https://www.stopoverdose.gov.bc.ca
People in B.C. experiencing violence can access VictimLink, a toll-free, confidential multilingual service available 24/7 by calling or texting 1 800 563-0808 or emailing: VictimLinkBC@bc211.ca (mailto:VictimLinkBC@bc211.ca)
For more details on the provincial health officer’s (PHO) Nov. 19 orders, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/covid19
Nov. 12, 2020, modeling update:
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/modelling-projections
For the PHO’s orders, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics/covid-19-novel-coronavirus
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
For mental health and anxiety support, visit: www.bouncebackbc.ca
Or: www.anxietycanada.com
For a listing of the community exposure events, go to:
BC Centre for Disease Control (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 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
Backgrounder on Long-Term Care:
Assisted-living, long-term care homes, seniors’ rental buildings and acute-care facilities with ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks.
Assisted living, long-term care homes and seniors’ rental buildings:
Vancouver Coastal Health – 13 facilities
* Arbutus Care Centre (second occurrence)
* Banfield Pavilion
* Capilano Care Centre
* Columbus Residence
* Holy Family Hospital (fourth occurrence)
* Little Mountain Place (second occurrence)
* Louis Brier Home & Hospital
* Renfrew Care Centre
* Royal Arch Masonic Home (second occurrence)
* Royal Ascot Care Centre
* Three Links Care Centre
* Windermere Care Centre
* Youville Residence
Fraser Health – 32 facilities
* Agassiz Seniors Community
* Agecare Harmony Court Care Centre
* Agecare Harmony Court Estates
* Al Hogg Pavilion (second occurrence)
* Amenida Seniors Community
* Amica White Rock (second occurrence)
* Belvedere Care Centre
* Care Life Fleetwood (second occurrence)
* Chartwell Langley Gardens (second occurrence)
* Cottage-Worthington Pavilion
* Fellburn Care Centre
* Finnish Manor
* Fort Langley Seniors Community
* George Derby Centre (second occurrence)
* Good Samaritan Delta View Care Centre
* Harrison Pointe
* Hawthorne Senior Care Community – assisted living
* Hawthorne Seniors Care Community – long-term care
* Holyrood Manor
* Jackman Manor
* Kiwanis Care Centre
* Laurel Place
* Menno Home
* Northcrest Care Centre
* PICS Assisted Living (third occurrence)
* Queen’s Park Care Centre
* Sunset Manor (second occurrence)
* Tabor Home (second occurrence)
* The Residence at Clayton Heights
* The Residence in Mission
* White Rock Senior Village (second occurrence)
* Valley Haven Care Home
Northern Health – two facilities
* North Peace Seniors Housing Society
* Rotary Manor Dawson Creek
Interior Health – two facilities
* Orchard Manor
* Sun Pointe Village
Island Health – two facilities
* Discovery Harbour Care
* Tsawaayuss-Rainbow Gardens
Acute-care facilities:
* Burnaby Hospital
* Langley Memorial Hospital
* Lions Gate Hospital
* Ridge Meadows Hospital
* Surrey Memorial Hospital
