COVID-19 in B.C.: New case counts remain above 850; Phase 3 vaccinations begins; 16 flight exposures; and more

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      New case counts may be slightly lower than the weekend but they’re still extremely high, hovering not far from the 1,000 mark.

      Meanwhile, B.C.’s immunization program is advancing to Phase 3 ahead of schedule tomorrow, with a new online booking system available (more details below).

      Health violations

      Controversy arose when two Vancouver restaurants announced that they would defy provincial health orders to close all indoor dining.

      In response, Vancouver Coastal Health ordered one of the establishments, Gusto in the Olympic Village, to shut down.

      The president and CEO of the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association issued a statement to condemn the actions of these restaurant owners.

      Today, the City of Vancouver temporarily suspended the business licenses for both restaurants, which includes Kitsilano’s Corduroy.

      B.C. update: April 3 to 5

      B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix announced, in a joint statement, that there were 1,889 new cases over the past two days.

      From April 3 to 4, there were 999 new cases, followed by an additional 890 cases from April 4 to 5.

      By region, that includes:

      • 986 new cases in Fraser Health;
      • 579 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
      • 129 in Interior Health;
      • 100 in Island Health;
      • 95 in Northern Health;
      • no one from outside of Canada.

      In addition, Henry and Dix stated that the previous case counts provided on April 3 (1,018 from April 1 to 2, and 1,072 cases from April 2 and 3) and have since been adjusted to 1,074 cases from April 1 to 2 and 1,077 cases from April 2 to 3 (setting a record high for new cases in one day), for a total of 2,149 cases from April 1 to 3.

      The cumulative total for the Easter long weekend was a total of 4,040 new cases over the past four time periods.

      Currently, there are 8,490 active cases, which is an increase of 919 cases since April 1 (the last date that active case numbers were provided).

      At the moment, there are 318 individuals hospitalized (22 more people since April 1), and 96 of those patients are in intensive care units (17 more patients since April 1).

      Public health is monitoring 11,989 people for exposures to identified cases (381 more people since April 1).

      Tragically, there were 23 COVID-19-related deaths over the past four time periods. That brings the total fatalities during the pandemic to 1,486 people who have died in B.C.

      A cumulative total of 94,806 people (91 percent) have now recovered.

      B.C. has recorded a cumulative total of 104,061 cases during the pandemic.

      Variants and vaccinations

      Since April 1, there have been 916 new variant cases, which brings the cumulative total to 3,559 cases. Of these, 588 cases are currently active.

      The total includes:

      • 2,771 cases of the B117 (U.K.) variant;
      • 737 cases of the P1 (Brazil) variant;
      • 51 cases of the B1351 (South Africa) variant.

      As of today, 893,590 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca-SII vaccines have been administered in B.C., and 87,472 of those are second doses.

      Once again, B.C. is ahead of its vaccination schedule.

      The province is now advancing to Phase 3 of its immunization plan.

      People who were born in 1950 and earlier (71 years old and above) can begin booking vaccine appointments (in addition to Indigenous people who are 18 years and above, as well as those who are clinically vulnerable), starting at 8 a.m. tomorrow (April 6).

      Appointments can now be booked in three ways:

      • a new online booking system;
      • by calling a provincial call centre (toll-free) at 1-833-838-2323;
      • in-person at the nearest Service BC location.
      B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix
      Province of British Columbia

      Outbreaks and exposures

      Northern Health declared an outbreak in the West Pod at Acropolis Manor in Prince Rupert, where two residents have tested positive.

      The good news is that there aren’t any new community outbreaks, and none of the five regional health authorities added any new public exposure events.

      Sobeys added one store to its list of locations with staff who have tested positive.

      At the FreshCo located at 7450 120th Street in Surrey, an employee who tested positive last worked there on April 1.

      Loblaw added four locations of Real Canadian Superstore to its list of locations with staff members who tested positive, including:

      • one employee who last worked on March 22 at 7550 King George Boulevard in Surrey;
      • two employees who last worked on March 22 and 31 at 14650 104th Avenue in Surrey;
      • three employees who last worked on March 25 and 27 at 333 Seymour Boulevard in North Vancouver;
      • one employee who last worked on March 27 at 9800 Lougheed Highway in Pitt Meadows.

      McDonald’s has listed five new locations with staff members who tested positive, including:

      • an employee who last worked on March 31 at 12930 96th Avenue in Surrey;
      • one employee who last worked on April 2 at 2330 Ottawa Street in Port Coquitlam;
      • one employee who last worked on April 2 at 101–1940 Oxford Connector in Port Coquitlam;
      • an employee who last worked on April 2 at 3310 15th Avenue in Prince George;
      • two employees who last worked on April 2 at 32983 South Fraser Way in Abbotsford.

      The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) added the following 16 domestic and international flights to its lists of public exposures:

      • March 23: Air Canada/Jazz 8550, Vancouver to Regina;
      • March 25: Philippine Airlines 116, Manila to Vancouver;
      • March 26: Air Canada 123, Toronto to Vancouver;
      • March 26: Air Canada 124, Vancouver to Toronto;
      • March 28: Air Canada 115, Toronto to Vancouver;
      • March 28: Air Canada 8211, Vancouver to Prince George;
      • March 29: WestJet 706, Vancouver to Toronto;
      • March 29: WestJet 139, Calgary to Vancouver;
      • March 31: Air Canada/Jazz 2279, Terrace to Vancouver;
      • March 31: Air India 185, Delhi to Vancouver;
      • March 31: Air Canada 115, Toronto to Vancouver;
      • April 1: Air Canada 234, Vancouver to Edmonton;
      • April 1: WestJet 3290, Prince George to Vancouver;
      • April 1: Air Canada 103, Toronto to Vancouver;
      • April 1: Air Canada 8413, Kelowna to Vancouver;
      • April 2: WestJet 706, Vancouver to Toronto.

      Affected row information is available at the BCCDC website.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at @cinecraig or on Facebook.

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