For the second consecutive day, B.C. hit a record high for the new case count, and has risen above the 600-case mark.

However, today is the first day, after numerous consecutive day of increases, that the number of active cases finally decreased.

There were also three new healthcare outbreaks, as well as two food or drink venues, seven stores, 14 flights, and 19 schools with new exposures.

Meanwhile, regional health authorities have released guidelines in several languages for celebrating Diwali safely on Saturday (November 14).

In other news, two cast members of the TV series The Good Doctor, which is filmed in Vancouver, tested positive for COVID-19. Both actors are now in isolation, and the show will continue shooting.

Daily update: November 13

In a joint statement, B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix confirmed there are 617 new cases in B.C. today. That surpasses yesterday’s record of 594 new cases. The previous high prior to that was 589 new cases one week ago on November 6.

Today’s new case count includes:

• 424 new cases in Fraser Health;
• 130 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
• 42 in Interior Health;
• 16 in Island Health;
• five in Northern Health;
• none among people from outside Canada.

For the first time over many consecutive days, the number of active cases finally sank.

Currently, there are 5,579 active cases in B.C., which is 214 less people than yesterday.

Unfortunately, the number of hospitalized cases continued to climb. With 12 more people in hospital, there are now 167 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19, and 50 of those patients are in intensive care units, which is six more than yesterday.

Public health is now monitoring 12,016 people, which is a jump of 925 people since yesterday.

Unfortunately, there are two new deaths, raising the total fatalities to 290 people who have died during the pandemic.

A total of 14,901 people have now recovered.

B.C. has recorded a cumulative total of 20,985 cases during the pandemic, which includes:

• 12,814 in Fraser Health;
• 6,237 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
• 1,001 in Interior Health;
• 504 in Northern Health;
• 340 in Island Health;
• 89 people from outside Canada.

Outbreaks and public exposures

There are three new healthcare facility outbreaks:

• the Belgo unit of Sun Pointe Village (700 Rutland Road North) in Kelowna, where Interior Health confirmed one staff member tested positive;
• Capilano Care Centre (525 Clyde Avenue) in Vancouver, where Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) imposed restrictions upon on November 9;
• Fraserview Intermediate Care Lodge (9580 Williams Road) in Richmond where VCH imposed restrictions on November 11.

The good news is that four outbreaks have been declared over: 

• Queens Park Hospital in New Westminster;
• Lakeview Care Centre in Vancouver;
• Yaletown House in Vancouver;
• St. Michael's Centre in Burnaby.

However, active outbreaks are at a total of 41 healthcare centres—35 longterm care or assisted-living facilities and six acute-care facilities.

One outbreak that was not on today’s B.C. COVID-19 update was on the first floor of the Arbutus Care Centre (4505 Valley Drive) in Vancouver, which Vancouver Coastal Health imposed restrictions upon today and was listed on their facility outbreak bulletin.

There aren’t any new community outbreaks, and the outbreaks at Coast Spas Manufacturing (6315 202nd Street) in Langley and the food-processing facility Pace Processing (19495 55th Avenue) in Surrey have been declared over.

IKEA Coquitlam (1000 Lougheed Highway) reportedly closed temporarily on November 9 after a staff member tested positive.

Tri-City News reported on November 9 that an employee at Costco (2370 Ottawa Street) in Port Coquitlam tested positive, after which the location underwent sanitization. The last date the employee worked there was not specified.

Richmond News reported on November 9 that two employees at Home Depot (2700 Sweden Way) in Richmond tested positive, and last worked there on October 25. The store underwent disinfection.

Loblaw announced that staff members at two Shoppers Drug Mart locations have tested positive, including:

• two employees who last worked at the 10153 King George Highway location in Surrey on November 4 and 7;
• one employee who last worked at the 18677 Fraser Highway location in Surrey on November 9.

T&T Supermarket announced staff members at three locations have tested positive, including:

• one employee at the 2206 Kingsway store in Vancouver, who last worked there on November 5;
• two employees at the Central City store located at 3000–10153 King George Boulevard in Surrey, who last worked there on November 5 and 7.

Island Health added an exposure event at Browns Socialhouse (1661 Cliffe Avenue) in Courtenay that took place between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on November 3 and 5. The restaurant posted a statement explaining that Island Health informed them that a guest who dined at the location had tested positive.

Bubble tea shop Xing Fu Tang announced that an employee who last worked at the 3000–10153 King George Boulevard location from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on November 7 and 8 has tested positive. The shop closed for 14 days on November 11 and will reopen on November 25 after undergoing cleaning.

Flights

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control added 14 flights confirmed with COVID-19 to its list:

• October 31: Air Canada 855, London to Vancouver;
• November 2: WestJet 183, Calgary to Kelowna;
• November 4: Air Canada 45, Delhi to Vancouver;
• November 5: Flair 8186, Winnipeg to Kelowna;
• November 5: Swoop 118, Abbotsford to Hamilton;
• November 7: Air Canada 1055, Phoenix to Vancouver;
• November 8: WestJet 133, Calgary to Vancouver;
• November 8: Air Canada 221, Calgary to Vancouver;
• November 9: Air Canada 44, Vancouver to Delhi;
• November 9: Air Canada 241, Edmonton to Vancouver;
• November 9: Air Canada 311, Montreal to Vancouver;
• November 9: Air Canada/Sky Regional 7724, Houston to Vancouver;
• November 9: Flair 8102, Calgary to Vancouver;
• November 9: Lufthansa 492, Frankfurt to Vancouver.

For affected row information, visit the BCCDC website.

School exposures

Regional health authorities added 19 schools with new exposure dates.

The only health authority that didn’t add any new exposure dates for schools was Northern Health.

Island Health added a second exposure event for John Barsby Secondary (550 Seventh Street) in Nanaimo. The school had a previous exposure event from November 5 to 6 and has added November 9 to 10 as a new exposure event.

Interior Health added one school: Immaculata Regional High School (1493 KLO Road) in Kelowna, with exposure dates on November 4, 6, and 9.

The region that had the most schools with new exposures was Vancouver Coastal Health, which added dates for 11 schools.

In Vancouver, four schools had new exposure dates:

• Windermere Secondary School (3155 East 27th Avenue) had exposures on November 3 and 5;
• Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School (419 East 24th Avenue)—previously had exposures on September 30; from October 1 to 2; and from October 7 to 9—had a new exposure on November 2;
• Magee Secondary School (6360 Maple Street) had exposures from November 4 to 6;
• Vancouver Christian School (3496 Mons Drive) had an exposure event from November 3 to 5.

In North Vancouver, two schools had new dates:

• Carson Graham Secondary (2145 Jones Avenue) had exposures from October 29 to 30 and November 2 to 6;
• Saint Pius X Elementary School (1150 Mount Seymour Road) had an exposure event from November 2 to 3.

In Richmond, four schools had new dates:

• Kingswood Elementary (11511 King Road), which had a previous exposure event from October 5 to 6, had a new exposure event from October 27 to November 2;
• Steveston-London Secondary School (6600 Williams Road) had an exposure from November 2 to 6;
• James Thompson Elementary School (6211 Forsyth Crescent) had exposures from November 3 to 4 and on November 6;
• Hamilton Elementary School (5180 Smith Drive) had an exposure event from November 5 to 6.

In Brackendale, Don Ross Middle School (42091 Ross Road) had an exposure on November 2.

While Fraser Health has had the most schools with new exposures over the past few days, today it had six schools with new dates.

In Delta, Jarvis Traditional Elementary (7670 118 Street)—which had previous exposures on October 5 and 7, and from November 2 to 5—had new exposure dates of November 6 and 9.

In Mission, Hatzic Middle School (34800 Dewdney Trunk Road), which previously had exposures on October 5 and 16, had new exposures from November 3 to 4 and on November 6.

In Port Coquitlam, Archbishop Carney Secondary (1335 Dominion Avenue) had an exposure on November 2.

Surrey had three schools with new dates:

• David Brankin Elementary (9160 128 Street), which previously had exposures from October 1 to 2 and on November 2, added November 3 as an exposure date;
• Frank Hurt Secondary (13940 77th Avenue) in Surrey—which previously had exposures from October 1 to 2; from October 5 to 9; from October 13 to 16; on October 19, 21, and 22; from November 2 to 3; and on November 5—has added October 30 as an exposure date; 
• McLeod Road Traditional (6325 142 Street), which previously had an exposure on November 5, added on November 6.