B.C. is now into the second week after the incubation period of any potential transmissions during the May long weekend, and we still haven’t witnessed any spikes or surges that have usually followed vacation periods during the pandemic.

Can we claim a victory?

Perhaps not quite yet, but it seems like we're certainly heading in the right direction.

What will happen as we progress into further stages of pandemic remains an uncertainty, and there may still be other unexpected developments within the province, elsewhere in Canada, or around the world. 

But for now, it appears that there are encouraging signs that all the efforts of all those working in B.C. health and British Columbian citizens doing their part are paying off.

Eventually during the reopening plan, the B.C. provincial state of emergency, which was originally declared on March 18, 2020, will be called off. But for now, it remains in effect, and today the provincial government extended it until June 22.

Enforcement update

Between Aug. 21, 2020, and June 4, 2021, B.C. officers issued 2,194 violation tickets, including:

• 419 tickets of $2,300 each to owners or organizers contravening the provincial health officer's (PHO) order on gatherings and events;
• 41 tickets of $2,300 each for food- or liquor-serving violations;
• 1,649 tickets of $230 each to individuals who refused to comply with health orders;
• 191 violation tickets to individuals who were in contravention of the Federal Quarantine Act, for a cumulative total of $404,829;
• 82 tickets of $575 each to individuals (after violation fines were increased) who promoted or attended events;
• two $575 tickets each to an individual for failing to comply with the travel restrictions;
• one $230 ticket for failing to stop at a road check.

B.C. update: June 8

B.C. confirmed 165 new cases of COVID-19 today, according to a joint statement from B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. By region, that total includes:

• 78 new cases in the Fraser Health;
• 42 in Interior Health;
• 30 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
• 10 in Island Health;
• five in Northern Health;
• no one from outside of Canada.

A decrease of 51 active cases since yesterday leaves us with 2,051 active cases today.

Hospitalized cases rose by four cases to a current total of 203 individuals in hospitals, with 57 of those patients are in intensive care units (six fewer people since yesterday).

Although the province has continued to have deaths for numerous consecutive days in recent weeks, today offers a respite: there are no new COVID-19-related deaths today. The cumulative total of fatalities remains at 1,722 people who have died.

With 216 recoveries since yesterday, we now have a cumulative total of 141,879 people (97 percent) who have recovered.

During the pandemic, B.C. has recorded a cumulative total of 145,695 COVID-19 cases.

Outbreaks and exposures

Today, Fraser Health declared the outbreak at Brookside Lodge in Surrey to be over.

Further good news is that none of the five regional health authorities announced any new healthcare or community outbreaks, or public exposure events.

There was one business closure due to COVID-19. Fraser Health listed Pro Smith Customs (21886 64th Avenue) in Langley being closed on June 8.

A total of 3,685,340 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines have been administered in B.C., and 345,508 of those are second doses.

As of today, 74 percent of all adults in B.C. and 72 percent of those 12 and older have now received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Sobeys listed the Safeway at 697 Bernard Avenue in Kelowna as having a second employee who tested positive and last worked there on June 2 (the other employee last worked on June 1). 

Loblaw listed the Real Canadian Superstore at 2100 17th Street North in Cranbrook as having one staff member who tested positive and who last worked there on June 4.

McDonald’s listed its 120 Old Vernon Road location in Kelowna with one employee who last worked there on June 6 and who tested positive. 

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) added the following two flights to its public exposure lists (when available, affected row information is listed at the BCCDC website):