COVID-19 in B.C.: Over 2,000 new cases and 46 deaths on weekend, five healthcare outbreaks, and more

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      Tragically, this past weekend has proven to be the most fatal time period that B.C. has witnessed during the course of the pandemic so far, with the largest number of deaths over a three-day period.

      Meanwhile, new case counts remain high and the number of active and hospitalized cases continue to climb.

      There were also five new healthcare outbreaks, and 14 stores and 23 flights with confirmed cases.

      All five health regions added schools with new exposure dates—including one school temporarily closed due to an outbreak—for a total of 78 schools. For details, see this article

      Case numbers and trends

      Henry explained that the process is “arduous” and involves many epidemiologists across the province, and that as case numbers increase, the process becomes even more challenging.

      The data error announced on November 25 was rectified over the weekend, with changes reflected in today’s case numbers.

      Accordingly, Henry said that they will be further automating their process, which will allow epidemiologists to spend more time on understanding the outbreaks and clusters in the community.

      She said the daily numbers are important but that they look more at trends rather than individual days, which she has explained in the past can reflect a number of factors.

      She said they will be adding the seven-day rolling daily average and talking more about it in the coming weeks to help people understand it.

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

      B.C. update: November 27 to 30

      At today’s in-person briefing, Henry provided updates for the past three time periods:

      • 750 new cases from November 27 to 28;
      • 731 new cases from November 28 to 29;
      • 596 new cases from November 29 to 30.

      In addition, due to the correction to the data-reporting error from Fraser Health (based on a technical issue which has since been rectified), there were an additional 277 historical cases added.

      Accordingly, there was a total of 2,354 new cases (including 10 epi-linked cases) over the weekend period.

      The new case count includes, by region:

      • 1,365 new cases (including 277 historical cases) in Fraser Health;
      • 371 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
      • 212 in Interior Health;
      • 73 in Northern Health;
      • 58 in Island Health;
      • one person from outside Canada.

      Active cases have increased by 383 cases since November 20, rising to a total of 8,855 active cases as of today.

      At the moment, there are 316 people in hospital (15 more than November 20), with 75 of those patients in intensive care units (six more than November 20).

      One area that has decreased is the number of people being monitored by public health—the number dropped by 291 people since November 20 to 10,139 people today.

      A total of 23,111 people have now recovered.

      Sadly, B.C. had 46 deaths over the past three days, which Henry said is the highest-ever count. She also said that about 80 percent of the deaths were people in longterm care facilities. The eldest person who died this past weekend was 103 years old, Henry said.

      Of the 46 deaths, Dix said there were:

      • 15 deaths from November 27 to 28;
      • 17 deaths from November 28 to 29—which establishes a new high;
      • 14 deaths from November 29 to 30.

      The previous record was 13 deaths on November 26, which all three of the past days surpassed.

      Dix also explained that 35 of those deaths in Fraser Health with the other 11 deaths in Vancouver Coastal Health.

      The total number of deaths is now at 441 people who have died during the pandemic.

      B.C. has recorded a cumulative total amount of 33,238 cases, which includes:

      • 21,070 cases in Fraser Health;
      • 8,850 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
      • 1,750 in Interior Health;
      • 845 in Northern Health;
      • 629 in Island Health;
      • 94 people from outside Canada.

      Outbreaks and exposures

      Unfortunately, there are five new healthcare outbreaks:

      • Veterans Memorial Lodge at Broadmead (4579 Chatterton Way) in Victoria, where Island Health stated that one staff member has tested positive and is limited to one unit;
      • St. Judes Anglican Home (810 W 27th Avenue) in Vancouver, where Vancouver Coastal Health imposed restrictions on November 26;
      • Lakeview Care Centre (3490 Porter Street) in Vancouver, where Vancouver Coastal Health imposed restrictions on November 26;
      • Fleetwood Villa (16028 83rd Avenue) in Surrey, where Fraser Health stated the one resident has tested positive;
      • Mountainview Village (1540 KLO Road) in Kelowna, where Interior Health stated that one resident and one staff member tested positive, and that the outbreak applies to both east and west units on the second floor.

      In addition, one facility that wasn’t on Henry’s list was PICS Assisted Living Centre (12075 75A Avenue) in Surrey, where Fraser Health stated today that one resident and one staff member have tested positive.

      One healthcare outbreak has been declared over: Louis Brier Home in Vancouver.

      Henry said there are active outbreaks in 57 longterm care facilities and five acute care units for a total of 62 healthcare facilities. 

      She also said there are 1,338 active cases (847 residents and 487 staff) involved in healthcare outbreaks.

      Fraser Health declared one community outbreak at Newton Elementary (13359 81st Avenue) in Surrey, which has been temporarily closed for two weeks.

      Store and flights

      Over the past three days, there have been 14 stores with employees who have tested positive.

      Sobeys announced that four of its Safeway locations had staff members who tested positive:

      • one employee who last worked on November 18 at the 1766 Robson Street location in Vancouver;
      • one employee who last worked on November 19 at the 1780 East Broadway location in Vancouver.
      • one employee who last worked on November 24 at the 2101 Lahb Avenue location in Vancouver;
      • one employee who last worked on November 26 at the 6564 East Hastings Street location in Burnaby.

      In addition, Sobeys announced an employee who last worked on November 18 at the FreshCo location at 7165 138th Street in Surrey tested positive.

      Meanwhile, Loblaw announced seven of its stores had staff members who tested postive.

      One employee who tested positive last worked on November 23 at Joti's No Frills (310 West Broadway) in Vancouver.

      Another employee who tested positive last worked on November 25 at Your Independent Grocer (1255 Davie Street) in Vancouver’s West End.

      The remaining five stores were Real Canadian Superstore locations, including:

      • two employees who last worked on November 18 and 21 at the 2332 160th Street location in Surrey;
      • two employees who last worked on November 19 and 23 at the 3185 Grandview Highway location in Vancouver;
      • one employee who last worked on November 23 at the 8195 120th Street location in Delta;
      • one employee who last worked on November 23 at the 2280 Baron Road location in Kelowna;
      • one employee who last worked on November 24 at the 14650 104th Avenue location in Surrey.

      Meanwhile, T&T Supermarket reported that a backroom employee who last worked on November 26 at the Metrotown location (147–4800 Kingsway Avenue) in Burnaby has tested positive.

      Canadian Tire reported an employee who tested positive last worked on November 16 at its Prince George location (5008 Domano Boulevard).

      The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) added 23 flights to its lists of flights confirmed with COVID-19:

      • November 15: Air Canada 45, Delhi to Vancouver;
      • November 15: Air Canada 114, Vancouver to Toronto;
      • November 17: Air Canada 314, Vancouver to Montreal;
      • November 17: Air Canada 8421, Kelowna to Vancouver;
      • November 18: Air Canada 202, Vancouver to Calgary;
      • November 19: Air Canada 103, Vancouver to Toronto;
      • November 19: Air Canada 114, Vancouver to Toronto;
      • November 19: Air Canada 225, Calgary to Vancouver;
      • November 20: Flair 8102, Calgary to Vancouver;
      • November 22: Aeromexico AM696, Mexico City to Vancouver;
      • November 22: Air Canada 1126, Kelowna to Vancouver;
      • November 22: WestJet WS139, Calgary to Vancouver;
      • November 22: Air Canada AC311, Montreal to Vancouver;
      • November 22: WestJet Flight 3455, Calgary to Abbotsford;
      • November 23: Air Canada AC854, Vancouver to London;
      • November 24: Air Canada Flight 554, Vancouver to Los Angeles;
      • November 25: United Airlines Flight 5312, San Francisco to Vancouver;
      • November 25: Cathay Pacific 865, Vancouver to Hong Kong;
      • November 25: United Airlines 1641, Denver to Vancouver;
      • November 26: Air Canada AC121, Toronto to Vancouver;
      • November 26: Air Canada AC8081, Vancouver to Victoria;
      • November 27: Air Canada AC0044, Vancouver to Delhi;
      • November 27: Air Canada 8417, Kelowna to Vancouver.

      For affected row information, visit the BCCDC website.

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

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