As yesterday’s COVID-19 update covered four time periods over the long weekend, the amount of exposure incidents appeared quite large. In addition, B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry had explained that there had been a backlog of tests that were cleared over the weekend, leading to higher numbers.

Today, the number of new cases is high but active and hospitalized cases and monitored people remain roughly the same as yesterday.

There was only one new exposure incident in a school added, and cases confirmed at a grocery store and at a mall. 

Meanwhile, Vancouver city councillor has brought forward a motion for mandatory mask wearing in civic buildings.

Daily update: October 14

B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Deputy Health Minister Stephen Brown announced in a joint statement that there are 158 new cases in B.C. today.

Currently, there are 1,496 active cases—an increase of 20 cases since yesterday.

Hospitalized cases increased by seven people to 84 patients in hospital today, with 24 of those individuals in intensive care units (which is the same number as yesterday).

Public health is monitoring 3,608 people (10 people less than yesterday) due to exposure to confirmed cases.

Thankfully, there aren’t any new deaths. The total number of people who have died during the pandemic remains at 250 fatalities.

More good news is that there aren’t any new healthcare or community outbreaks.

The outbreak at St. Paul’s Hospital has been declared over. Active outbreaks remain in 17 longterm care facilities and two acute care facilities.

During the pandemic, there have been 10,892 cases confirmed in B.C., including:

• 5,697 in Fraser Health;

• 3,941 in Vancouver Coastal Health;

• 585 in Interior Health;

• 343 in the Northern Health;

• 237 in Island Health region;

• 89 people who live outside Canada.

A cumulative total of 9,112 people (84 percent) who tested positive have now recovered.

Exposure incidents

Over the long weekend, several regional health authorities added or extended exposure dates of schools to their lists of exposure events.

However today, only Fraser Health added one school to its list: Eugene Reimer Middle (3433 Firhill Drive) in Abbotsford, which had an exposure on October 5.

Richmond News reported that a night-shift cleaning employee at Parker Place mall in Richmond tested positive for COVID-19. The employee reportedly last worked at the location on October 9.

Sobeys announced on October 13 that an employee at Safeway (801–1301 Main Street) in Penticton, who last worked at the location on October 9, tested positive.