There are 25 new cases of COVID-19 and 1 new death from the virus in BC today, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 1,724. Of those, 707 are in the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority region.
There are currently 109 people in the province with the virus who are hospitalized, of whom 51 are in critical care.
In today’s briefing, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry addressed a new community outbreak in the Lower Mainland as well as the province’s public health goals going forward.
The new community outbreak has been identified at the United Poultry Company in Vancouver, where 28 people related to the facility have tested positive for the virus. Close contacts of the new people who have tested positive have been notified and the plant has been closed.
Henry assured that there is no evidence that the virus can be transmitted through packaged meat, but emphasized that consumers should still take all the regular precautions for preparing raw meat.
[Sorry, video not found. You can contact webmaster@ubyssey.ca to fix the issue]
In addition to the new outbreak, there is one new positive case of COVID-19 related to the federal correctional facility in Mission. There are now 76 people connected to the facility — 65 inmates and 11 staff — who have tested positive for the virus.
Minister of Health Adrian Dix stressed again today that the health care system is still accessible and safe for people who may need emergency medical care.
Regarding the strategy driving the evolution of the province’s public health measures going forward, Henry said that health authorities are striving to balance protecting against transmission with the adverse economic and social consequences of these restrictions.
“Our goal, of course, is to do all we can to limit the potential for transmission and also to minimize the impact of these necessary public health measures on our communities and our families across the province,” she said.
“We will find our new normal in the coming weeks but it is not yet the time to lessen our guard.”
Stay up to date on UBC information related to COVID-19 by visiting ubyssey.ca/covid-19, the websites of the BCCDC, the Public Health Agency of Canada or the World Health Organization. The province has set up a dedicated COVID-19 phone line at 1-888-COVID19 or text at 1-888-268-4319. For updates on UBC’s response to COVID-19, visit ubc.ca/campus-notifications/
First online
Share this article
