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B.C. records 840 new COVID-19 cases, Northern Health adds 46

No new deaths in the province
Jess Balzer
Jess Balzer
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B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. | The Canadian Press

The trend continues.

In a written statement this afternoon (March 30), a day after announcing new restrictions, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said 840 more tests came back positive for the virus across B.C. during the past 24 hours for a new grand total of 99,035. 

Of those infections, Northern Health added 46 for an updated authority total of 5,944 since March 2020.

There have been no new COVID-linked deaths, which keeps the province's toll at 1,455.

There are currently 7,062 active cases throughout B.C. with 312 people in hospital, 78 of which are admitted in ICU or critical care. Another 11,164 are under active public health monitoring due to being exposed to someone diagnosed with the virus.

A total of 90,401 cases are officially classified as recovered. 

B.C. officials also said there have been 320 newly-confirmed cases that are variants of concern. The total is now at 2,553 with 313 currently active.

Northern Health says to date, there have been eight cases discovered, all of which involved the U.K. variant.

There are 2,134 linked to the U.K. variant (B.1.1.7), 49 linked to the South African variant (B.1.351) and 370 of the Brazil variant (P.1). 

While the province continues its struggle, the north is also seeing concerning numbers. 

According to the most recent data from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), the authority's seven-day moving average for COVID-19 positivity rate currently sits at 15.9 per cent as of Sunday (March 28).

The province's rate has shot up to 9.7 per cent compared to recent weeks, which prompted health officials to announce a three-week 'circuit breaker' to try and slow down transmission as variants of concern also picking up at rapid speeds.

From now until April 19, indoor dining at all food and liquor-serving restaurants has been put on pause. However, outdoor patio dining, take-out and delivery services are still allowed. 

Included in the amendment, Dr. Henry announced a halt on indoor adult group fitness activities, but individual or one-on-one activities may still take place, also noting that these kinds of settings 'amplify' the spread of COVID-19.

Additionally, indoor worship services have also been suspended days after class variance was given to allow up to 50 people at a time.

"It's with a heavy heart that I say this, but I can not in all conscious, with the increase number of cases we're having, [...] allow these types of activities to happen right now," she said.

"Outdoor worship services may continue as we know it's much safer to have these kinds of activities outdoors."

Dr. Henry adds travel throughout B.C. must now be essential for medical or work-related reasons only.

"Social connection is important, and so is keeping our loved ones and ourselves safe," she said. 

"We all have a choice – to stay safe or put our loved ones, our friends and ourselves at risk, which is why non-essential activities need to be limited and need to be outside with the same small number of people. The sacrifices we make today will help all of us to get through this storm."

Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health are also in double-digit percentages for COVID-19 positivity rates, coming in at 11.2 and 10.3 respectively.

Interior Health currently holds a 6.3 per cent positive return rate, while Island Health sits at five per cent.

In education, up-to-date list of northern B.C. schools marked for a COVID-19 exposure event in the month of March, and listed with a self-monitoring period, is as follows:

  • Duchess Park Secondary (SD57) - March 16-17, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 31, 2021
  • Heather Park Elementary - March 17-19, 2021
    • Self-monitoring periods ends April 2, 2021
  • D.P. Todd Secondary (SD57) - March 18-19, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends April 2, 2021
  • Telkwa Elementary (SD54) - March 1-5, 8-11, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
  • Muheim Memorial Elementary (SD54) - March 1-5, 8-1, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
  • Walnut Park Elementary (SD54) - March 1-5, 8-11, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
  • Smithers Secondary (SD54) - March 1-5, 8-11, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
  • Moberly Lake Elementary (SD59) - March 8-12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
  • Conrad Elementary School (SD52) - March 11-12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
  • St. Joseph's School (Independent) - March 1-5, 8, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
  • Spruceland Traditional Elementary (SD57) - March 12, 15-19, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends April 2, 2021
  • St. Joseph's School - Smithers (Independent) - March 1-5, 8-11, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
  • Valemount Secondary (SD57) - March 12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
  • Conrad Elementary School (SD82) - March 8-9, 11, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
  • DP Todd Secondary (SD57) - March 12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
  • Chief Matthews School (Independent) - March 11-12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
  • Notre Dame School (SD59) - March 8-9, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 24, 2021
  • College Heights Secondary (SD57) - March 15-17, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 31, 2021
  • Heather Park Elementary (SD57) - March 10, 11-12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
  • Notre Dame School (SD59) - March 8-9, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 23, 2021
  • Ecole Roosevelt Park Community School (SD52) - March 10-12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
  • Lax Kxeen Elementary (SD52) - March 10-12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021 
  • Pacific Coast School (SD52) - March 10-12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring ends March 26, 2021
  • Caledonia Secondary (SD82) - March 5, 8-12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
  • Kildala Elementary (SD82) - March 12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
  • Cassie Hall Elementary (SD82) - March 10-12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring periods ends March 26, 2021
  • William Konkin Elementary (SD91) - March 10-12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
  • Mount Elizabeth Secondary (SD82) - March 10-12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
  • Hazelton Secondary (SD82) - March 11, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
  • Ecole Roosevelt Park Community School (SD52) - March 9-11, 2021
    • Sel-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
  • Charles Hays Secondary - March 8, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 22, 2021
  • Charles Hays Secondary (SD52) - March 10-12, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
  • Kildala Elementary (SD82) - March 11, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
  • Chief Matthews School (Independent) - March 8, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 22, 2021
  • Valemount Elementary (SD57) - March 8-9, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 23, 2021
  • College Heights Secondary (SD57) - March 8-9, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 22, 2021
  • Caledonia Secondary (SD82) - March 8-9, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 23, 2021
  • Lax Kxeen Elementary (SD52) - March 8, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 22, 2021
  • Prince Rupert Middle (SD52) - March 8-10, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 24, 2021
  • Conrad Elementary (SD52) - March 8-9, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 22, 2021
  • Skeena Middle (SD82) - March 1-5, 8, 2021
    • Self-monitoring periods ends March 22, 2021
  • Dawson Creek Secondary - South Peace campus (SD59) - March 5, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 19, 2021
  • Kildala Elementary (SD82) - March 8, 2021
    • Self-monitoring period ends March 22, 2021

Northern Health's school-exposure section explains the following:

  • Contact tracing is initiated to determine how the individual was infected and who they were in close contact with
  • We identify and notify close contacts who may be at an increased risk, and advise them to self-isolate and monitor for symptoms for 14 days
  • Only Public Health can determine who is a close contact
    • Learning groups, friends or other connections may not be determined to be a close contact
  • Public Health staff works closely with the school and school district throughout the case and contact management process to maintain close communication with the school community

- with files from Kyle Balzer, PrinceGeorgeMatters, and The Canadian Press