Active cases of COVID-19 have headed back up in Northern Health following a brief three-day dip.
As of midday Wednesday, the count stood at 385, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, up by 18 from the day before. The total had hit a record 421 on Friday.
Forty-seven new cases were reported while hospitalizations declined by four to 44 and those in intensive care rose by one to 19. Deaths in the region held steady at 15 since the pandemic took hold after three more were confirmed on Tuesday.
As of Tuesday, the region's positivity rate remained the highest among B.C.'s health authorities for the 13th day in a row. It stood at 10.1 per 100 tests, based on a seven day rolling average, compared to 6.3 for B.C. as a whole.
Province-wide, 24 more deaths were confirmed while active cases rose by 90 to 9,950.
In a joint statement, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and health minister Adrian Dix urged people to stay home and keep their groups small during the holiday season.
"Many people have already made the commitment to make their holiday celebrations safe celebrations - by staying small and connecting virtually instead," they said. "There are countless creative ways for us to have those important connections and also protect our communities and the people we care for most. Let's continue to do our part and break the chain of transmission in B.C."
Also on Wednesday:
- Northern Health said the number of lab confirmed cases at the Jubilee Lodge long-term care home stood at 12 - eight among residents and four among staff, up from two residents and one staff when an outbreak was declared on Saturday.
"Northern Health continues to take steps to protect the health of all Jubilee Lodge staff and residents," the agency said in a statement. "Enhanced control measures are in place, as well as additional supports for the facility to address quality, answer questions from staff, residents and family, and to provide active checks of symptoms with staff and residents."
However, precautionary outbreak declarations for the family medicine unit at University Hospital of Northern B.C. special care unit at Gateway Lodge were lifted.
- Exposure notifications were issued for D.P. Todd and College Heights secondary schools. The exposure at D.P. Todd occurred during December 1-2 and, for College Heights, December 10-11 according to a Northern Health web posting.
- Deployment of a B.C. Emergency Health Services rapid response team to Fort St. James ended Wednesday.
Over the eight days team members were in the community, the responded to more than 100 calls with more than half transferred out to a higher level of care, the BCEHS said.
In lieu, BCEHA said two paramedics from Vancouver Island along with an additional ambulance and equipment will be in Fort St. James until December 24 to help ease the workload for the local ambulance crew.
- Gaming investigators, conservation officers, community safety unit inspectors as well as liquor and cannabis inspectors have been asked to support police and increase COVID-19 enforcement.
The Insurance Corp. of B.C. has also been directed to send unpaid fines to collections after the initial 30-day payment or dispute period ends.
The province is also asking WorkSafeBC to increase the number of inspections it performs at workplaces.
Mike Farnworth, minister of public safety and solicitor general, said the moves will ensure the province can penalize those who put their own "selfishness" above public health.
The announcement follows Premier John Horgan's criticism on Tuesday of people who ignore or try to find loopholes in the province's COVID-19 restrictions.
- with files from The Canadian Press
