VICTORIA — The COVID-19 infection rate is moving up in British Columbia, with 30 more positive tests arising from several community exposures and one active outbreak.
Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry say lessons from elsewhere suggest a few missteps can quickly turn into a significant resurgence, and in B.C., the curve is trending upwards.
They say many of the new cases are a result of transmission from increased social interactions this summer.
Dix and Henry say British Columbians have proven they know what to do to prevent the spread of infection and the latest increase could be stopped by seeing fewer people, spending time with only those you know and keeping a safe distance from others.
The death toll is unchanged in B.C. at 189, while 2,873 people have recovered from COVID-19.
Some restaurants, wineries and recreational facilities in the Okanagan and Metro Vancouver have been notified of a potential exposure or have had employees who tested positive.
"We commend the businesses who have proactively notified the public and temporarily closed for additional cleaning," Dix and Henry say. "This is a clear example of how we can contain the risk when it is known, slow the spread and continue to operate safely."
This report by The Canadian Press was first reported July 21, 2020.
The Canadian Press
