By Russ Byth

B.C. reports 48 new COVID cases; three more deaths; three additional cases in Interior Health

Mar 23, 2020 | 10:16 AM

In the last two days 48 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in B.C., bringing the total to 472 since the beginning of the outbreak.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the Interior Health region now has 30 cases, up from 27 on Saturday.

There were also three additional deaths from the virus.

On the positive side, Dr. Henry said 100 people in the province have fully recovered and have been released from isolation. She added that the testing backlog has just about been cleared.

Six long-term care facilities on the Lower Mainland are now considered outbreak sites. Long term care workers will be screened as they go to work every day and health care workers need to have a heightened awareness of the symptoms.

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She also reminded the public about the extraordinary work being done by health care workers in both caring for the sick and doing the testing, so the need for social distancing is so important. You never know when you might be walking by a nurse or doctor.

Dr. Henry said she was encouraged by the businesses that are taking steps to protect their employees and customers, and every day people and their families stay distanced from others, the better chance there is in the coming days and weeks to flatten the curve.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said between 3,300 and 3,600 people in B.C. are being tested each day.

He thanked 22 nurses who volunteered to go in and help at the Lynn Valley Care Home in North Vancouver, where the majority of fatalities have been.

He said bed capacity at B.C. hospitals is at 68 per cent, with more than 3,000 available.

The province did not announce any further crackdowns on the number of people gathering together or possibly a stay-at-home order for the province.

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Here are the latest numbers from the B.C. Health Ministry on Covid-19 cases in the province as of 10 a.m. Monday March 23:

48 news cases, for total of 472

248 of the cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Health Region

150 in Fraser Valley Health

39 on Vancouver Island

30 in Interior Health

Five in Northern Health

33 people are currently in hospitals with 14 in intensive care units.

There has been three more deaths over two days: one at the Lynn Valley care home in North Vancouver, another in the Fraser Health Region, and another at the Haro Park care home in Vancouver.

On a positive note, 100 people in B.C. have recovered from the illness.

by Russ Byth

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