What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. on April 13, 2020
Dr. Bonnie Henry announces 45 new positive coronavirus cases and 11 more deaths
THE LATEST:
- Dr. Bonnie Henry announced 11 more deaths, bringing the provincial total to 69.
- The total number of people who have tested positive in B.C. rose by 45 to 1,490.
- 905 people have recovered from the illness.
- 137 COVID-19 patients are in hospital; 58 of those are in intensive care.
- Four staff at a Vancouver care home have tested positive for COVID-19.
- The outbreak at Mission Correctional Institute has grown to 35 cases.
- People in B.C. should not be travelling this long weekend unless it is absolutely essential.
In her 50th daily update on the spread of COVID-19 in B.C., provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced 45 new confirmed cases of the virus on Monday, bringing the total to 1,490.
Eleven more people have died, raising the total number of deaths to 69. The majority of those who have passed away because of COVID-19 remain connected to long-term care homes.
Monday's update reflects two 24-hour time periods, with 25 new cases detected between Saturday and Sunday, and 20 new cases detected between Sunday and Monday — two of the the lowest daily percentage increases since March 6, when the province began announcing new cases daily.
4 care staff test positive
CBC has learned four staff members at the South Granville Park Lodge care home in Vancouver have tested positive for COVID-19.
Vancouver Coastal Health confirmed the cases in a letter to family of residents on Sunday.
According to medical health officer Dr. Michael Schwandt, the staff wore personal protective equipment when interacting with residents, so the risk of exposure to those in care is low.
Previous to the South Granville Park Lodge infections, there were 20 active outbreaks in long-term care homes in the Lower Mainland. Meanwhile, the number of individual cases at Mission Institution, a federal prison, continues to climb, with 35 confirmed.
Long weekend travel concerns
Health authorities say despite long-weekend travel to communities across B.C., for the most part, people are respecting physical distancing orders.
At her daily briefing on Saturday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said she'd been in contact with BC Ferries, which has significantly reduced sailings and is operating at 50 per cent capacity.
Over the long weekend, people living in the towns of Princeton, Coalmont, and Tulameen took to social media, posting photos of trailers and campsites set up in their communities.
The mayor of Princeton said the only local grocery store had its shelves emptied this weekend.
"People just don't seem to understand that we have a limited amount of resources here and we can't afford at this time to have those extra pressures put on those resources," said Spencer Coyne.
Coyne says people will keep travelling out of town unless the government bans non-essential travel.
However, Henry says the province has no plans to put travel restrictions in place to curb non-essential travel within B.C.
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Top stories today
- Residents of the region around Princeton, B.C., voiced concerns about the steady flow of recreational campers and visitors into their towns over the long weekend.
- A survey commissioned by the City of Vancouver could bolster its mayor's argument that a provincial bailout is needed to keep it from going into an operating deficit.
- Research into grey whale migration has been put on hold due to COVID-19 concerns. The whales are undertaking their annual northern migration between now and May.
- A man is apologizing after facing backlash over a video of him appearing to spit on a condo elevator in Vancouver's Olympic Village neighbourhood.
- Thousands have signed an online petition asking that access to Vancouver Island via BC Ferries be restricted to essential services, supplies, and residents only, after a wave of long weekend vacationers.
- The chief of Delta Police says his force has 'no powers' to stop meetings of COVID-19 conspiracy theorists.
Important reminders:
Health officials widely agree the most important thing you can do to prevent coronavirus and other illnesses is to wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face.
The World Health Organization said more than 80 per cent of COVID-19 infections are estimated to be mild.
What's happening elsewhere in Canada
As of 3 p.m. PT Monday, Canada had 25,680 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19. The provinces and territories that provide data on recovered cases listed 7,681 as resolved. A CBC News tally of deaths, which is based on public health information and reporting, lists 825 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.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Common symptoms include:
- Fever.
- Cough.
- Tiredness.
But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.
What should I do if I feel sick?
Stay home. Isolate yourself and call your local public health authority or 811. Do not visit an emergency room or urgent care centre to get tested.
Find information about COVID-19 from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
Non-medical information about COVID-19 is available in B.C. from 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. PT, seven days a week at 1-888-COVID19 (1-888-268-4319).
What can I do to protect myself?
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Keep them clean.
- Keep at least two metres away from people who are sick.
- When outside the home, keep two metres away from other people.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Masks won't fully protect you from infection, but can help prevent you from infecting others.
More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government's website.
If you have a COVID-19-related story we should pursue that affects British Columbians, please email us at [email protected]
With files from The Canadian Press