COVID-19 in B.C.: 20 schools with new exposure events, three new healthcare outbreaks, and more

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      Today’s new case count was only a few numbers shy of the record high set yesterday.

      Active cases also increased, there were three new healthcare outbreaks, and 20 schools have had new exposure events.

      However, the number of cases in hospitals is on the decline and there aren’t any new community outbreaks.

      B.C. update: October 20

      In a joint statement, Henry and Deputy Health Minister Stephen Brown announced 167 new cases (including one epi-linked case) in B.C. today. (The record is yesterday's 174 new cases.)

      Currently, there are 1,688 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, which is an increase of 49 people from yesterday.

      The number of people public health is monitoring has increased once again—128 more individuals have been added since yesterday, raising the today’s total to 4,156 people (after exposure to confirmed cases) being monitored.

      An encouraging sign is that hospitalized cases continue to slowly decrease—there are 69 individuals are in hospital (three less people than yesterday), with 18 of those patients in intensive care (a decrease of eight patients).

      Unfortunately, there is one new COVID-19-related death, bringing the total number of fatalities to 254 individuals who have died during the pandemic.

      There are three new healthcare facility outbreaks:

      • Evergreen Baptist Care Society (1531 Everall Street) in White Rock;

      • Good Samaritan Victoria Heights (230 Ross Drive) in New Westminster;

      • Sunset Manor (address to be confirmed).

      Meanwhile, outbreaks at George Derby Centre in Burnaby, Langley Lodge, and Chartwell Crescent Gardens in Surrey are now over.

      Active healthcare outbreaks are at 19 facilities (17 longterm care or assisted-living facilities and two acute-care facilities).

      There aren’t any new community outbreaks.

      A total of 9,871 people who tested positive have recovered.

      During the pandemic, a total of 11,854 people tested positive, including:

      • 6,366 cases in Fraser Health;
      • 4,175 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
      • 624 in Interior Health;
      • 357 in Northern Health;
      • 244 in Island Health;
      • 88 cases of people from outside Canada.
      B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry
      Province of British Columbia

      School exposures

      Regional health authorities added 20 schools with new exposure events or extended exposure dates.

      Vancouver Coastal Health added seven schools.

      In Vancouver, two schools were added:

      • Queen Elizabeth Elementary School (4102 West 16th Avenue West), which previously had exposures on September 14, had an exposure on October 13;
      • John Oliver Secondary School (530 E 41st Avenue) had an exposure on October 9.

      In North Vancouver, four schools had new exposure events:

      • Westview Elementary School (641 West 17th Street) had exposures from October 13 to 14;
      • Handsworth Secondary School (1044 Edgewood Road) also had exposures from October 13 to 14;
      • Blueridge Elementary School (2650 Bronte Drive) had an exposure event from October 5 to 9.;
      • St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Secondary School (541 West Keith Road) with exposures from October 7 to 15.

      In West Vancouver, École Pauline Johnson Elementary School (1150 22nd Street) had an exposure incident from October 14 and 15.

      Blueridge Elementary School

      Meanwhile, Fraser Health added 12 schools with new exposure events.

      In Burnaby, Burnaby North Secondary (751 Hammarskjold Drive), which previously had exposures on October 8 and 9, added October 14 and 15.

      In Port Moody, Heritage Woods Secondary School (1300 David Avenue) had an exposure on October 15.

      In Maple Ridge, Alouette Elementary (22155 Isaac Crescent) had an exposure on October 13,

      In Pitt Meadows, Edith McDermott Elementary (12178 Bonson Road) had an exposure event from October 13 to 15.

      In Surrey, eights schools had new exposure dates:

      • Beaver Creek Elementary (6505 123a Street), which previously had exposure dates from September 21 to 23, has added October 13 as an exposure date;
      • Cambridge Elementary (6115 150th Street) had an exposure incident from October 13 to 14;
      • École Panorama Ridge Secondary (13220 64 Avenue) previously had exposures on September 8 and 10, and from September 30 to October 1. It has now added October 6 to 9 and 13 to 15;
      • Enver Creek Secondary (14505 84 Avenue), which previously had an exposure on October 9, has added October 14 to its dates; 
      • Frank Hurt Secondary (13940 77th Avenue) in Surrey, which previously had exposures from October 1 to 2, and from October 5 to 9, has added October 13 to 16; 
      • Martha Jane Norris Elementary (12928 66A Avenue) had an exposure event from October 14 to 16;
      • Panorama Park Elementary (12878 62 Avenue) had an exposure event from October 14 to 15;
      • Queen Elizabeth Secondary (9457 King George Boulevard), which previously had an incident on September 14, had another incident from October 14 to 16.

      Interior Health added one school: École de l’Anse-au-sable (675 Lequime Road) in Kelowna had an exposure event from October 13 to 15.

      Martha Jane Norris Elementary

      Meanwhile, Loblaw had two stores in the Lower Mainland that had employees who tested positive:

      • Shoppers Drug Mart (12830 96th Avenue) in Surrey—the employee last worked there on October 9;

      • Real Canadian Superstore (7550 King George Highway) in Surrey—the employee last worked there on October 12.

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

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