B.C.’s top doctor is reporting another 76 new COVID-19 cases for a total of 424 cases in the province, the most in Canada.
Dr. Bonnie Henry says eight of the new cases are in the Interior Health Authority for a total of 27 cases. She also reported one more death in B.C., which is connected to the Lynn Valley Care Centre, for a total of ten COVID-19 related deaths in the province.
There are 27 people with COVID-19 symptoms are in hospital, 12 of those are in intensive care.
Vancouver Coastal Health has 230 cases, Fraser Health has 126 cases, Vancouver Island Health has 37 cases, and Northern Health has four cases.
As well, Dr. Henry is now ordering personal service establishments like salons, spas, massage parlours, and tattoo shops to close to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
“Most of these places have closed, but it has come to my attention that there is confusion over whether or not these places should close,” Henry said.
“Physical distancing is incredibly important right now for everybody. We know we have had community cases for a couple of weeks now. We know people in communities are transmitting it to each other.”
This latest order comes one day after restaurants were ordered to move to delivery and take-out models only. Asked about the possibility of using fines like in Saskatchewan, Dr. Henry says the province has the ability to do that, and can use Peace Officers to enforce the orders that have been issued.
Health Minister once again spoke on the importance of complying with these orders and physical distancing measures to slow the spread of the virus.
“This is really, for all of us, as individuals and a society, the greatest fight of our time. Our response so far has been good. And it’s been human. But it needs to be more than that,” he said. “It needs to be 100 per cent. It isn’t about somewhere else, it isn’t about somebody else. It’s about you. It’s about me. It’s about all of us. And that’s why it’s essential.”
Dix also said the 811 service has fielded over 530,000 calls over the past few days. To help reduce wait times, he says seven nurses and 30 patient navigators have been added.
Editors note: Officials at the press conference said there were 74 new cases Saturday, but later corrected it to say there were 76 cases today.
