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BC COVID stats and resources at a glance

Contributor
By Contributor
March 19th, 2020

The COVID-19 situation in British Columbia is continually evolving. The information below is current as of 3 p.m. on March 18, 2020. These updates will be issued daily for the remainder of the week.

Cases

  • Total confirmed cases in B.C.: 231
  • New cases since March 17, 2020: 45
  • Hospitalized cases: 13
  • Deaths: 7
  • Recovered: 5

Confirmed cases by region

  • Vancouver Coastal Health: 144
  • Fraser Health: 58
  • Island Health: 16
  • Interior Health: 9
  • Northern Health: 4

Testing

  • At least 17,000 British Columbians have been tested.
  • Testing is available for all who need it, but not everyone requires a test.

    • If you have no symptoms, mild symptoms or you are a returning traveller self-isolating at home, you do not require a test.
    • For each of these situations, the public health advice remains the same, regardless of test results: self-isolate for 14 days to monitor for the development of symptoms or until your symptoms are completely gone.
  • Those who have severe illness, require hospitalization, are residents of long-term care facilities or are health-care workers will continue to be tested.

    • Anyone part of an active investigation or outbreak cluster will be tested so they can be appropriately monitored. 
  • If symptoms appear, call your health-care provider or 811 for guidance.

Provincial advice and measures

Public Health Emergency

  • Under a provincial health emergency, a provincial health officer among other emergency powers, may:

    • do orally what must otherwise be done in writing;
    • serve an order in any manner;
    • act in a shorter or longer time period than is otherwise required; and
    • compel any peace officer to enforce an order.

Travel

  • Provincial health officer’s order for travellers:
    https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics
  • On March 17, 2020, the federal government announced new measures relating to travel, including:

    • closure of the Canada-U.S. border to all non-essential traffic.
  • On March 16, 2020, the federal government announced new measures relating to travel, including:

    • banning entry of all foreign nationals by air travel from all countries;
    • consolidating international inbound flights to four major hubs only, including Vancouver International Airport (YVR);
    • preventing symptomatic passengers from boarding a plane to Canada;
    • strengthening in-flight medical procedures and medical screening immediately upon landing, with enhanced cleaning and disinfection at airports;
    • support for impacted Canadians abroad; and
    • 14-day self-isolation for all arrivals except for essential work.
  • Global Affairs Canada has set up an emergency loan program for people abroad attempting to return to Canada.
  • Public health officials require anyone arriving in B.C. from a foreign country to self-isolate for 14 days, staying away from work or school. Guidance for self-isolation is available on the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) website:
    http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/testing-isolation
  • Cruise ship season is delayed until July 1, 2020 (vessels with more than 500 people).

Media availability schedule

Upcoming scheduled media availabilities with Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Henry will be held:
Thursday, March 19, 2020 – 3 p.m., Vancouver
Friday, March 20, 2020 – 3 p.m., Vancouver
Saturday, March 21, 2020 – 3 p.m., Vancouver

Resources

Learn More:

For non-medical information relating to COVID-19, call: 1 888 COVID-19

For recommendations on protecting yourself and your community, including for employers, businesses, schools and those planning events of less than 50 people, visit:
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/coronavirus-(novel)

For common questions about COVID-19 and terminology, visit:
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/common-questions

For the COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and planning materials, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics/pandemic-influenza

For more information and latest updates on COVID-19, follow the BCCDC on Twitter @CDCofBC or visit: http://www.bccdc.ca/

Categories: General

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