What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. on April 11, 2020

THE LATEST:

• 35 new cases of COVID-19 and three more deaths were announced Saturday. 
• The total number of people who have tested positive in B.C. is now 1,445.
• 58 people have died.
• 905 patients have recovered from the illness.
• There were 134 COVID-19 patients in hospital as of Saturday, including 63 in intensive care.
• The outbreak at Mission Institution continues to grow, with 26 cases now confirmed.
• People in B.C. should not be travelling this long weekend unless it is absolutely essential.

Provincial health officials will be watching how the long-weekend actions of some people — who boarded ferries and travelled to communities where they don't live — will affect the trajectory of coronavirus infections in days ahead.

In the lead up to the Easter long weekend, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry pleaded with residents to stay committed to staying close to home, practising physical distancing and not travelling.

At her daily briefing on Saturday, Henry said "what happens this weekend is going to be reflected in what we see in the coming weeks." 

On Friday, there were numerous examples of people heading to smaller communities as the sun shone bright and temperatures rose.

Locals in smaller communities across the province voiced their frustrations Friday as visitors began arriving for the long weekend, potentially carrying COVID-19 to remote areas that don't have the resources to handle a major outbreak.

The concern comes as B.C. seems to be having more success in managing the pandemic than other jurisdictions. 

Hospitalizations and active cases of COVID-19 have been flat for the last 10 days. The number of new cases and deaths continues to increase, but at a slower rate than two weeks ago.

It got to the point where Henry has alluded to the possibility of returning to some activities that have been curtailed since mid-March. 

Many parks, beaches and other recreation areas in and around Metro Vancouver are closed, along with all provincial parks.

The closures are an attempt to keep crowds from gathering while bylaw officers and ambassadors in municipalities are out watching for anyone not observing physical distancing measures.

Henry is still encouraging people to get outside, but to do it while respecting physical distancing rules.

35 new cases Saturday

To date, B.C. has confirmed 1,445 cases of the virus and reported 58 deaths. Thirty-five new cases were announced Saturday, along with three new deaths.

The number of fully recovered patients is 905.

There are now 20 active outbreaks in long-term care homes in the Lower Mainland, while the number of cases at Mission Institution, a federal prison, continues to climb, with 26 confirmed.

The Union of Canadian Correctional Officers said four corrections officers from Mission Institution have tested positive for COVID-19.

In Ottawa, Parliament was back in session on Saturday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered an address in the House of Commons on the government's work to support Canadians and limit the impacts of COVID-19.

He said his government is working on legislation to support workers and businesses with a new wage subsidy. 

Musician funding

On Saturday, the province announced one-time micro grants worth either $500 or $2,000 for musicians wanting to produce music and livestream it to British Columbians during the pandemic through a program called Showcase BC.

British Columbians can access all the grant performances through the Showcase BC website.

Vancouver singer and songwriter Dan Mangan said, as part of the government release, that most musicians are making efforts to lift peoples' spirits during the pandemic and the extra funding is welcome.

"Getting access to funding to keep the artistic community afloat makes all the difference to me and my peers," he said.

The province said it was working on a concert to be shown online next week on the site featuring B.C. musicians. It expects to announce the lineup soon.

• Your guide to financial help available for people in B.C. affected by the crisis
• How to apply for EI and COVID-19 emergency benefits
• Get the latest advisories, updates and cancellations for B.C.

Top stories today

• Mediate B.C. has launched a service to help roommates, families, couples — any individuals who have suddenly found themselves unhappily spending more time together than normal — sort out their issues.
• A B.C. judge struggled with how to sort out a custody arrangement between a nurse, her ex-husband and their eight-year-old son during the pandemic.
• First Nations leaders in B.C. say Ottawa has agreed to match the provincial commitment to provide people on social assistance with an added $300 a month due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• A care worker and member of the Blueberry River First Nation near Fort St. John has tested positive for COVID-19.
• Nine-year-old Sasha Glegg wrote to B.C.'s provincial health officer for advice about her birthday plans and got a response.
• Correctional Service Canada is now reporting 24 cases of COVID-19 at Mission Institution in B.C.'s Fraser Valley, an outbreak that doctors and lawyers believe could have been prevented.
• Municipalities are scrambling to prevent crowding in popular urban parks and beaches this weekend.
• As many churches and public buildings are closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, one Catholic parish in Vancouver is adapting by offering drive-thru confessionals.

What's happening elsewhere in Canada

As of 3 p.m. PT Saturday, Canada had 23,318 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19. The provinces and territories that provide data on recovered cases listed 6,663 as resolved. A CBC News tally of deaths, which is based on public health information and reporting, lists 702 COVID-19-related deaths in Canada, as well as two coronavirus-linked deaths of Canadians abroad.

The numbers, which are updated at least daily by the provinces and territories, are not a complete picture, as they don't account for people who haven't been tested, those being investigated as a potential case and people still waiting for test results. 

For a look at what's happening across the country and the world, check the CBC interactive case tracker.

If you have a COVID-19-related story we should pursue that affects British Columbians, please email us at [email protected]