COVID-19 in B.C.: New school outbreak; over 700 new cases; new vaccination clinics; and more

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      Active cases continued to increase but hospitalizations decreased.

      Sadly, deaths occurred in all health regions, except for Vancouver Coastal Health. There’s also one new school outbreak and one new healthcare outbreak.

      Meanwhile, some new vaccinations clinics are being launched in Vancouver and Victoria.

      As of today, 80 percent of eligible British Columbians who are 12 years and above have now received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccines.

      B.C. update: September 24 

      Once again, the B.C. Health Ministry stated that today’s numbers of total and new cases are provisional due to a delayed data refresh.

      Today, the B.C. Health Ministry is reporting 743 new COVID-19 cases.

      Currently, there are 5,979 active COVID-19 cases, which is 282 more cases than yesterday.

      With 11 fewer patients in hospitals today, there are 319 individuals are in hospital, and 149 of those patients are in intensive care units (one more than yesterday).

      The new and active cases include:

      • 292 new cases in Fraser Health, with 2,029 total active cases (97 more cases than yesterday);
      • 177 new cases in Interior Health, with 1,268 total active cases (87 more cases);
      • 111 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, with 955 total active cases (46 more cases);
      • 106 new cases in Northern Health, with 1,023 total active cases (46 more cases);
      • 57 new cases in Island Health, with 660 total active cases (six more cases);
      • no new cases of people who reside outside of Canada, with 44 total active cases (same number as yesterday).

      Tragically, seven new deaths were reported, which include four in Fraser Health, and one each in Interior Health, Northern Health, and Island Health. B.C. has recorded an overall total of 1,922 people who have died of COVID-19-related reasons.

      With 495 recoveries since yesterday, an overall total of 174,281 people who tested positive have now recovered.

      B.C. has reported a cumulative total of 182,541 cases during the pandemic.

      Vaccinations

      Since December, B.C. has administered 7,771,314 doses of Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines.

      As of today, 87.5 percent (4,053,738) of eligible people 12 and older have received their first dose and 80 percent (3,709,554) received their second dose.

      In addition, 88 percent (3,805,580) of all eligible adults have received their first dose and 80.9 percent (3,497,809) received their second dose.

      From September 16 to 22, people who have not been fully vaccinated accounted for 75 percent of cases and from September 9 to 22, they accounted for 81.9 percent of hospitalizations.

      According to the B.C. Health Ministry, people who are unvaccinated are 25.9 times more likely to be hospitalized than those fully vaccinated (after factoring for age).

      Vaccination and testing clinics

      Vancouver Health announced that it will hold two new vaccination clinics on campuses:

      • at the T-Building Gallery at Langara College (100 West 49th Street) from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on September 28 and 29;
      • at the Broadway campus of Vancouver Community College (VCC Building B, 1120 East 7th Avenue) from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on September 28.

      Meanwhile, Island Health announced that it has opened a new COVID-19 test site at the Victoria Conference Centre at 720 Douglas Street (appointments only, no drop-ins).

      B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry
      Province of British Columbia

      Outbreaks and exposures

      Today, Vancouver Coastal Health declared an outbreak at Cooper Place in Vancouver, after seven cases (six residents and one staff member) were identified, and one resident has since died.

      Also today, Fraser Health declared outbreaks over at Chilliwack General Hospital and Northcrest Care Centre in Delta.

      The B.C. Health Ministry stated that the outbreak at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail (Interior Health) has been declared over.

      Currently, there are 20 active outbreaks in healthcare facilities, including

      • longterm care: Westminster House, Menno Terrace East (Fraser Health); Arbutus Care Centre, Louis Brier Home and Hospital (Vancouver Coastal Health); Village at Mill Creek, Cottonwoods Care Centre, Spring Valley Care Centre, Kamloops Seniors Village, Hillside Village, The Hamlets at Westsyde, Joseph Creek Care Village, Overlander (Interior Health); Jubilee Lodge (Northern Health); and Victoria Chinatown Care Centre (Island Health);
      • acute care: Fort St. John Hospital (Northern Health);
      • assisted or independent living: Sunset Manor (Fraser Health); David Lloyd Jones, Sun Pointe Village, and Hardy View Lodge (Interior Health); and Cooper Place (Vancouver Coastal Health).

      Northern Health provided an update on the outbreak at the B.C. Hydro Site C project, where a total of 92 cases have been identified (“amongst primarily unvaccinated workers ”) as of September 22. Only two cases remain active.

      The B.C. Centre for Disease Control added the following three flights to its lists of potential public exposures:

      • September 13: Flair Flight 445, Edmonton to Vancouver;
      • September 17: Air Canada 860, Vancouver to London;
      • September 20: Air Canada 225, Calgary to Vancouver.

      School outbreak

      Yesterday, Fraser Health declared an outbreak at Promontory Heights Elementary School in Chilliwack.

      Today, the regional health authority announced that it has declared an outbreak at Maple Ridge Christian School, where 32 COVID-19 cases have been identified among staff and students.

      The school is continuing on with in-person instruction for Grade 6 and above, while Fraser Health conducts contact tracing and case management.

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

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