While B.C. has seen increase in daily COVID-19 cases as restrictions are eased, the province’s top doctor notes around 20 cases a day is still a small number given the province’s population.

“Its not unexpected and we do know where those cases are,” Dr. Bonnie Henry said. “That is the other piece that we are trying to balance here, is us in public health being able to respond when we have clusters making sure we can find people who are exposed so that they can stay away from others and we can stop those transmission chains.”

There were 21 new cases reported today, the sixth time in the last week that the province has reported 20 or more cases in a 24-hour period. Officials say they are a little concerned about the increase as COVID-19 continues to silently circulate in B.C. communities.

“We need to remember that many of these cases are linked,” Henry said. “It was distressing to me to see 25 cases one day [on July 9], that’s way above my comfort zone. [However] if it was 25 cases that were popping up in the community that weren’t linked, that would be more worrisome.”

A number of B.C.’s new cases are linked to an outbreak at the Holy Family Hospital long term care home in Vancouver and community exposure in downtown Kelowna earlier this month.

“This is going to be our dance over the next few months,” Henry said.

“We travel, we have those social interactions but we do it in a measured and thoughtful way so that we can find people quickly, make sure that people know if they are at risk so they can prevent transmitting it to the people they are closest to.”

Officials caution that while symptoms can be mild, COVID-19 is a complex illness that has serious consequences.