COVID-19 in B.C.: Most new cases in Interior Health; two Metro Vancouver healthcare outbreaks; and more

    1 of 2 2 of 2

      Something unusual in today’s B.C. COVID-19 update is that the most new cases in the province are being reported in Interior Health.

      For the most part during the pandemic, Interior Health has usually had fewer new cases than Fraser Health, and only began to report more new cases than Vancouver Coastal Health in recent weeks.

      In addition, this is the second time over the past week that Northern Health has reported no new cases.

      There are also two new healthcare outbreaks, serving as a reminder that transmission continues to occur and can potentially impact vulnerable populations.

      Meanwhile, Fraser Health continues to offer innovative new opportunities for vaccinations, in order to help make immunization clinics more accessible to various demographic groups.

      This week, Fraser Health will be offering a number of clinics at recreation centres and skate parks for youth who are 12 years and above, including the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre, the South Surrey Recreation Centre, the Cloverdale Recreation Centre, and the Guildford Recreation Centre, all in Surrey.

      In addition, vaccination clinics are being created at the Abbotsford Ag-Rec Centre and the Christine Sinclair Community Centre in Burnaby to provide drop-in vaccinations for first doses to construction workers, who can attend with their hard hat, site access card, or other construction ID.

      There are also new neighbourhood clinics in Abbotsford, Burnaby, Chilliwack, New Westminster, and Surrey.

      For more details, visit the Fraser Health website.

      B.C. update: June 23

      B.C. reported 87 new COVID-19 cases today, according to a joint statement from B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix.

      By region, the total includes:

      • 41 in Interior Health;
      • 30 in Fraser Health;
      • 13 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
      • three in Island Health;
      • zero new cases in Northern Health;
      • no one from outside of Canada.

      A decrease of 31 active cases since yesterday leaves 1,119 cases that are currently active today.

      A decrease of two hospitalized cases since yesterday leaves 109 individuals with COVID-19 in hospitals, with 41 of those patients in intensive care units (same number as yesterday).  

      Sadly, there is one new COVID-19-related death, which brings the total number of fatalities to 1,744 people who have died in B.C. during the pandemic.

      With 120 recoveries since yesterday, a cumulative total of 144,383 people have now recovered.

      B.C. has reported a cumulative total of 147,271 cases during the pandemic.

      In B.C.’s immunization program, 77.2 percent of all adults and 75.8 percent of those 12 and older have now received their first vaccine dose.

      In addition, 24.3 percent of all adults and 22.7 percent of those 12 and older have received their second dose.

      A total of 4,570,153 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines have been administered, and 1,051,910 of those are second doses.

      Henry and Dix stated that there are data corrections in both the total cases (removing three previously reported cases) and percentage immunized (to correct some second doses that had been incorrectly classified as first doses).

      B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix
      Province of British Columbia

      Outbreaks and exposures

      Despite the reduction in cases, healthcare outbreaks continue to occur.

      Today, Vancouver Coastal Health declared two outbreaks in healthcare facilities:

      • Minoru Residence in Richmond, where two individuals have tested positive;
      • the Care Centre at Hollyburn House in West Vancouver, where one resident and one staff member have tested positive.

      Meanwhile, none of the five regional health authorities declared any new community outbreaks, and didn’t list any new public exposure events or businesses closed due to COVID-19.

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

      Comments