Another new case of COVID-19 found in the north

Northern B.C. saw a second new case of COVID-19 this week, after going several days last week with no active cases.

On Tuesday provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the number of cases in the Northern Health region had increased to 66 since the beginning of the pandemic. One of the two patients with active cases in northern B.C. was admitted to the intensive care unit, according to information released by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

There were a total of nine new test-positive cases in B.C. since Monday's update, and one additional older case confirmed through testing, Henry said.

"We have had, as we are seeing, a number of small outbreaks," Henry said. "We have to avoid become complacent. When there is virus anywhere, there is virus risk everywhere."

The total number of COVID-19 cases in B.C. rose to 2,669 on Tuesday. Across B.C., there were 183 active cases remaining, Henry said.

Of the remaining active cases in B.C., 16 patients were hospitalized, including four in intensive care. 

There were no deaths linked to COVID-19 on Tuesday, leaving the province's death toll from the pandemic at 167. No deaths linked to COVID-19 have been reported in the north.

"I want everyone to understand the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over," Henry said. "In British Columbia we have smaller numbers. (But) the global case count continues to rise. Just yesterday was the highest single count day since the start of the pandemic – 136,000 individuals were infected."

As Canada looks to ease restrictions on the U.S. border and the number of international flights starts to increase again, B.C. could very easily see a rise in cases introduced from outside the province, she said.

"It recognizes no borders and it recognizes none of the geopolitical boundaries we put in place," she said. "Our goal needs to be to learn to live safely with this virus."