COVID-19 in B.C.: 12 schools with new exposures, one healthcare and one community outbreak, and more

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      The new case count for today approached the record high of 317 cases set on Saturday (October 24) while case numbers in other categories remained about the same or increased since yesterday.

      Regional health authorities added 12 schools with new exposure dates to their lists. There’s one new healthcare outbreak and one community outbreak.

      Meanwhile, Canada passed the milestone of 10,000 deaths on October 27.

      National outlook

      To date, there have been 222,887 known cases of the virus in Canada.

      As British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, and Quebec report higher daily case counts than in the spring, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged Canadians are growing frustrated with pandemic rules.

      He urged people to stick out what is expected to be a difficult time.

      “It’s going to be a tough winter,” the prime minister said during a press briefing in Ottawa. “It’s frustrating having shut down all of us, our lives through the spring, and now be forced to make more difficult choices, and knowing that it’s going to be a tough winter ahead as well.

      “This sucks. It really, really does,” he added.

      Daily update: October 28

      In a joint statement, B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Deputy Health Minister Stephen Brown announced 287 new cases (including four epi-linked cases) in B.C. today.

      Active cases slightly decreased to 2,316 active cases today, which is three less people than yesterday.

      The number of people in hospital has increased by three people to 87 individuals, with 25 of those patients in intensive care (two less than yesterday).

      Public health is monitoring 5,358 people for exposures to confirmed cases, which is an increase of 257 since yesterday.

      There’s one new healthcare outbreak at PICS assisted-living facility (12075 75A Avenue) in Burnaby, which had a previous outbreak declared over on October 23.

      Outbreaks at the Dr. Al Hogg Pavilion at Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock and at Delta Hospital have been declared over.

      Active outbreaks are at 22 healthcare facilties—21 longterm care or assisted-living facilities and one acute-care facility.

      There’s also one new community outbreak at the Okanagan Men's Centre (4550 Glenmore Road North) in Lake Country, B.C.

      Unfortunately, there are two new COVID-19-related deaths, for a total of 261 fatalities.

      A total of 11,244 people are now considered fully recovered.

      During the pandemic, there has been a cumulative total of 13,875 cases, including:

      • 7,863 in the Fraser Health;

      • 4,545 in Vancouver Coastal Health;

      • 727 in Interior Health;

      • 399 in Northern Health;

      • 253 in Island Health;

      • 88 people from outside Canada.

      Fort Nelson Secondary

      School exposures

      Interior Health and Island Health didn’t add any new exposure events.

      In Northern Health, Fort Nelson Secondary (5419 Simpson Trail) in Fort Nelson had an exposure event from October 15 to 16.

      Vancouver Coastal Health added two schools with new exposure events.

      In Richmond, R.C. Palmer Secondary (8160 St Albans Road) had an exposure on October 22.

      In Vancouver, Britannia Secondary School (1001 Cotton Drive), which previously had exposures from September 30 to October 2 and October 5, had further exposures on October 16, 21, and 22.

      Meanwhile, Fraser Health added nine schools with exposure events.

      In Surrey, there were six schools with new exposure incidents:

      • Clayton Heights Secondary (7003 188 Street) had exposures from October 15 to 16 and 19 to 22;

      • Georges Vanier Elementary (6985 142 Street), which previously had an exposure event from September 29 to 30, had an exposure incident on October 19;

      • North Surrey Learning Centre (9260 140th Street) had exposures from October 19 to 21;

      Sullivan Heights Secondary (6248 144 Street)—which had previous incidents on September 8, from September 30 to October 1, and from October 13 to 15 and 19—has added October 20 to 22;

      • Tamanawis Secondary School (12600 66 Avenue)—which previously had incidents on September 17 and 30, October 2 and 6, and from October 13 to 16—has added October 19 as an additional exposure date;

      • École Woodward Hill Elementary (6082 142 Street) had exposures from October 14 to 16 and 19 to 20.

      In Port Coquitlam, École des Pionniers-de-Maillardville (1618 Patricia Avenue) had an exposure event from October 19 to 21.

      In Langley, Global Montessori School (19785 55 A Avenue), which previously had an exposure event from October 20 to 22, has added October 19 as an exposure date.

      In Chilliwack, Tyson Elementary (45170 South Sumas Road) had an exposure on October 19.

      École des Pionniers-de-Maillardville

      Air travel

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

      • October 19: Air Canada flight 127, Toronto to Vancouver, with affected rows 18 to 21;

      • October 22: WestJet flight 3315, Calgary to Comox, with affected rows 6 to 12.

      Anyone in the affected rows should monitor themselves for 14 days following the flight date. If symptoms develop, contact 811 or your local healthcare provider for testing information.

      With files from Now Toronto.

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

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