Monday September 28, 2020 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc., Editor | Island Social Trends
The first death due to COVID-19 on Vancouver Island since May 5 was reported today September 28. That brings the COVID death count to six on the island where cases and deaths have been low (compared to other jurisdictions) throughout the pandemic this year.
The man in his ’60s was already health compromised. After he had died at home it was determined he was infected with COVID-19, said Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry today in her media briefing. She offered her condolences to the family and community.
BC COVID profile:
Today’s 3-day report of COVID cases for BC shows a per-day case count average of about 89, which is below the 100+ level seen in the last few weeks. There were 68 cases September 25-26, 125 cases September 26-27, and 74 cases September 27-28, for an increase of 267 cases over the weekend into Monday.
The total case count is now 8,908 for BC, with 1,302 active cases. There are 69 people in hospital today, with 22 of those in intensive care or acute care. To date, 755 people have been in hospital in BC with the COVID-19 infection.
Under public health surveillance for having been exposed to COVID-19 are 3,372 people in BC; that means they are in self-isolation away for the most part from work, family and friends.
Case counts by age:
There were 267 new-case infections these past three days, with new cases across all age groups from children to young adults to seniors and elders.
Increases by age grouping over the past three days:
- under age 10: 10
- 10-19 years: 24
- 20-29 years: 57
- 30-39 years: 50
- 40-49 years: 35
- 50-59 years: 41
- 60-69 years: 28
- 70-79 years: 9
- 80-89 years: 6
- 90+ years: 3
Growing case counts, keep numbers small:
Dr Henry asked everyone today to keep their bubbles small, including at Thanksgiving (households only, don’t mix bubbles or gather in large groups) and Halloween (guidelines to come later this week).
We are in the second wave of the pandemic, not just here but in Canada (155,301 cases to date) and around the world (33,034,598 to date).
In BC, 7,346 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered from the infection.
More than 1 million deaths globally:
There are 233 deaths to date in BC from the virus, with three of those in the last three days. Across Canada there have been 9,278 deaths due to COVID-19, and globally the death tally has surpassed one million according to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 20% of which have occurred in the USA.
These are the statistics, but behind the numbers are all the impacted families, disrupted communities and businesses, and ultimately massive changes in demand for food and services in different sectors of regions and countries. The mental health impacts of this sudden loss and massive shifts will have ripple effects in society for decades.
Vaccine is essential to curtail viral spread:
Without a vaccine, the death count will continue rising. WHO expects that tally reach 2 million before a vaccine is available.
There is presently no vaccine for COVID-19. Canada has six deals in the works to bring on tested and effective vaccines as soon as they are available, and is contributing $220 million worth of vaccine support to nations that cannot afford their own vaccines. If COVID-19 is anywhere it is everywhere.
Vancouver Island COVID profile:
Over the last three days there were two new cases of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island (one in the 20-29 age group, and the other ages 60-69), bringing the island total to 206 (2.3% of BC’s total cases during the pandemic).
There are five active cases of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island but no one is in hospital within Island Health. The number of people considered recovered from COVID-19 on Vancouver Island is 195.
