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B.C. records 1,001 additional COVID-19 cases, four new deaths

Northern Health sees 39 more infections
Jess Balzer
Jess Balzer
dr-bonnie-henry-march-2021
B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. Government of British Columbia

For the second consecutive day, B.C. has recorded more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases.

In a written statement this afternoon (April 23), Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said 1,001 more tests came back positive for the virus across B.C. during the past 24 hours for a new grand total of 123,758. 

Of those infections, Northern Health added 39, raising the authority total to 6,976 since March of 2020. 

There have been four new COVID-linked deaths, which raises the province's toll to 1,554.

There are currently 8,842 active cases throughout B.C. with 486 people in hospital, 160 of which are admitted in ICU or critical care.

A total of 113,139 cases are officially classified as recovered. 

Despite still being in double digits, Northern Health's COVID-19 positivity rate continues to fall. 

With the authority sitting at roughly 17 per cent at the start of April, the region's seven-day moving average positivity rate is now 12.5 per cent as of Wednesday (April 21). 

For comparison, Island Health is at 3.7 per cent, Interior Health is 6.5 per cent, Vancouver Coastal Health 9.2 per cent and Fraser Health at 11.4 per cent.

Provincially, the positivity rate sits just under 10 per cent at 9.4. 

With high positivity rates still being recorded, new restrictions on travel across health authorities in British Columbia are in effect in the province as of today (April 23) and will last through May 25.

The ban on non-essential travel, as announced Friday by Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth, generally splits the province into three regions consisting of some combined health authorities.

Under the new public health orders, Northern and Interior Health are unified as one region, as are Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health; Island Health stands alone, with some intra-region exceptions.

The restrictions, aimed at curbing further spread of COVID-19 within the province, are focused on recreational travel, according to Farnworth, and violating the ban will carry consequences. 

Messaging for the past year in B.C. has been for people to "stay local," and that message remains the same, despite the wide geography the combined regions offer residents as far as sanctioned movement goes within their home or neighbouring health authority.

However, leaving your own area remains discouraged, said Farnworth, offering examples like hiking, where a North Shore resident is asked to go for hikes at Grouse, and a Tri-Cities resident is asked to stick to Burke Mountain.

However, there are some "reasonable exemptions," said Farnworth for what would take someone out of their home health authority region.

"We've all made great sacrifices to protect our collective health and to keep our healthcare system functioning safely. While I'm disappointed, additional measures are necessary," he said.

If compliance measures are deemed necessary by police, fines can be handed out. At the discretion of police, a contravention of this Emergency Program Act travel order may be subject to a $575 fine.

In education, an up-to-date list of northern B.C. schools marked for COVID-19 exposure events in the month of April is as follows:

  • Fort St. James Secondary (SD91) - April 14-16, 2021
  • North Peace Secondary (SD60) - April 15-16, 2021
  • Doctor Kearney Middle (SD60) - April 15-16, 2021
  • Mountain Christian School Society (Independent) - April 16, 2021
  • Buckhorn Elementary (SD57) - April 12, 2021
  • Cassie Hall Elementary (SD82) - April 5-6, 12-16, 2021
  • Thornhill Primary School (SD82) - April 13-15, 2021
  • Thornhill Elementary (SD82) - April 13-15, 2021
  • Doctor Kearney Middle (SD60) - April 14, 2021
  • North Peace Secondary (SD60) - April 14, 2021
  • Mountain Christian School Society (Independent, Dawson Creek) - April 13-15, 2021
  • North Peace Secondary (SD60) - April 8-9, 13, 2021
  • Freedom Thinkers Education (Independent, Fort St. John) - April 12-13, 2021
  • Duncan Cran Elementary (SD60) - April 7-9, 12-13, 2021
  • Bert Bowes Middle (SD60) - April 8-9, 13, 2021
  • Doctor Kearney Middle (SD60) - April 8-9, 2021
  • R.L. Angus Elementary (SD81) - April 12-13, 2021
  • Energetic Learning Campus (SD60) - April 14-15, 2021
  • Buckhorn Elementary (SD57) - April 13-15, 2021
  • Duncan Cran Elementary (SD60) - April 6-8, 12-14, 2021
  • Evelyn Dickson Elementary (SD91) - April 9, 2021
  • Chetwynd Secondary (SD59) - April 12, 2021
  • Morfee Elementary (SD57) - April 3-5, 2021
  • Prince George Secondary (SD57) - April 7, 12-16, 2021
  • Energetic Learning Campus, Fort St. John (SD60) - April 12-13, 2021
  • Hudson's Hope Elementary and Junior Secondary (SD60) - April 12, 2021
  • Doctor Kearney Middle (SD60) - April 12-13, 2021
  • North Peace Secondary (SD60) - April 12-13, 2021
  • Tremblay Elementary (SD59) - April 7-9, 2021
  • College Heights Secondary (SD57) - April 12-13, 2021
  • École Frank Ross Elementary (SD59) - April 6-9, 2021
  • Houston Christian School (Independent) - April 7-9, April 12-13, 2021
  • Notre Dame Catholic School (Independent) - April 7, 2021
  • Twain Sullivan Elementary (SD54) - April 7-9, April 12-13, 2021
  • Houston Secondary (SD54) - April 7-9, 12-13, 2021
  • Sliverthorne Elementary (SD54) - April 7-9, April 12-13, 2021
  • Energetic Learning Campus (SD60) - April 8-9, 2021
  • Dawson Creek Secondary, South Peace Campus (SD59) - March 30-April 1, 2021
  • École Mountain View Elementary (SD82) - April 6, 2021
  • École Frank Ross Elementary (SD59) - March 30 - April 2, 2021
  • Tremblay Elementary (SD59) - March 30-April 1, 2021
  • École College Heights Elementary (SD57) - April 6-8, 2021
  • St. Anthony's Catholic School, Kitimat (Independent) - April 6, 2021
  • Dawson Creek Secondary, South Peace Campus (SD59) - March 29-April 1, 2021
  • Notre Dame Catholic School (Independent) - March 29-April 1, 2021
  • Sacred Heart Elementary (Diocese of Prince George) - April 6, 2021
  • Kispiox Community School (Independent) - April 6, 2021
  • Mountain Christian School Society (Independent) - April 6, 2021
  • Prince George Secondary (SD57) - April 6, 2021
  • Canalta Elementary (SD59) - April 6, 2021
  • C.M. Finch Elementary (SD60) - March 30-April 1, 2021
  • Duchess Park Secondary (SD57) - April 6, 2021
  • Kersley Elementary (SD28) - April 6-8, 2021
  • Dawson Creek Secondary, South Peace Campus (SD59) - March 31-April 1, 2021

- with files from Lindsay William-Ross and Elana Shepert, Vancouver Is Awesome