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B.C. records another 100 COVID-19 cases, Northern Health adds seven

No new deaths from the virus
Jess Balzer
Jess Balzer
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B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. (via Government of B.C. Flickr)

The curve is still bending the wrong way in B.C.

In a written statement this afternoon (Sept. 9), Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix announced another 100 COVID-19 cases discovered in the past day.

Seven of those were tested positive in Northern Health, one off the region's single-day record of eight (July 22), for a new total of 193. The authority has 23 active cases with seven in hospital, three of which are in ICU. Total tests in the region to date are 15,474.

The province's total is 6,691 with 1,378 active cases. 

No new deaths have been recorded, keeping the fatality rate at 213.

There are also 37 people in the hospital, 15 of which are in critical care. There are 3,101 on active-monitoring for possible exposure and 5,086 recoveries.

There have been 2,285 recorded cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, 3,482 in the Fraser Health region, 185 in Island Health and 462 in Interior Health.

There are 84 cases connected to people that live outside of the country.

Earlier today, the province unveiled its fall plan to tackle COVID-19 as the influenza season also hits and children going back to school. 

"We're preparing for the challenges that the influenza season will bring to an already challenging pandemic situation," said Premier John Horgan during a news conference.

Dix outlined the province’s fall pandemic plan, which is based on four scenarios, from best to worst-case.

"The B.C. health system is well-placed to meet the demand with the backstop of knowing that we can successfully implement more extreme hospital access control measures, if they are required," he said.

The plan includes additional funding for health care -- $1.6 billion in total – and thousands more front-line health care workers:

  • Increased testing for COVID-19
  • Increased contact tracing
  • Enhanced influenza immunizations
  • Up to 5,000 new hires for cleaners, food servers and aids for hospitals
  • 2,000 additional workers for long term care and assisted living
  • A new Hospital At Home program 

The province is earmarking $42 million for the Hospital At Home program, a new program which will offer 24-7 medical care for eligible patients. By treating them in their homes, the risk of them spreading flu or COVID-19 to others in hospital is reduced.

The government is allocating $44 million for the recruitment and training of 7,000 new health care workers, including for seniors homes through the new Health Career Access Program.

Hospitalizations due to influenza typically begin to rise in September and peak in December and into January. In the past, hospitalizations for respiratory illnesses have been as high as 126 during the peak of flu season in December and January.

Henry announced yesterday (Sept. 8)  because so many of the community spreading events have been the result of gatherings where alcohol is served, restrictions are being put back in place for bars and nightclubs.

All nightclubs and banquet halls are ordered to shut down, "until further notice."

"These venues are still the source of significant risk to everybody in British Columbia," Henry said.

There will also be restrictions on the serving of alcohol in those pubs, bars and restaurants that can remain open. 

They must stop serving alcohol as of 10 p.m. and must close at 11 p.m., unless they are providing full-meal service without alcohol being served.

Asked if pubs, bars and restaurants could be next to have to close down entirely, if community infections continue to spread and increase, Henry suggested they won't.

The concerns over nightclubs are not the same as pubs, bars and restaurants.

- with files from Kyle Balzer, PrinceGeorgeMatters, and Nelson Bennett, Business In Vancouver