The curve is still bending in the wrong direction.
During their update this afternoon (Sept. 17), Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix announced 165 new COVID-19 cases since Wednesday (Sept. 16), bringing B.C.'s total to 7,663.
Northern Health holds four of those cases, bringing the authority's total to 241.
One person died from the virus in the past day for a new fatality rate of 220.
A total of 1,614 cases are active throughout B.C. including 57 in hospital and 22 of those in ICU.
There is one exposure event listed by Northern Health that remains in effect:
- Prespatou region = No address (Month of August)
Haida Gwaii has recorded the only COVID-19 community outbreak in northern B.C. thus far, which was declared over on Aug. 28.
Northern Health officially has its website up for information regarding outbreaks in schools, should the public need to know, but none have been listed as of this publication.
Henry also announced a new, innovative COVID-19 testing solution that will soon be available for students. The new test is less invasive and uncomfortable than traditional COVID-19 testing methods but as a B.C. made solution it also reduces reliance on the global market and global supply chains said Henry.
Students will now have the ability to gargle with a sterile water and spit into a tube in order to be tested for COVID-19 rather than having a swab stuck up the nose to the back of their throat. Unlike the traditional swab the saline gargle solution is not only more confortable, but it does not need to be administered by a healthcare professional.
“On a positive note, we have some exciting new testing that we are able to provide for students in British Columbia,” said Henry. “Now for K-12 students we have an easier alternative than the nasopharyngeal swab that has been the standard. Today a new made-in-B.C. sample collection program for all k-12 students across the province and it is one of the first of its kind around the world.”
Henry thanked both scientists and businesses for their work in developing this new means of testing and making it accessible to students in British Columbia.
Case counts in other regions include 2,714 recorded in Vancouver Coastal Health, 3,937 in Fraser Health, 196 in Vancouver Island Health and 489 in Interior Health.
- with files from Albert Van Santvoort, Business In Vancouver
