B.C.’s Health Minister says the province is preparing for a steep increase in the number of people with COVID-19 symptoms, who may need hospitalization.

Adrian Dix says while there may be just one person in hospital right now, there remains the possibility the situation could change rapidly if measures are not taken.

It’s as he says three people who were in hospital recovered enough to be allowed to go home.

“The cases that have gone home are great moments for the healthcare workers and of course for the workers and the people and their families. It shows that care can work, and people can recover,” he said.

“Even someone in their 90’s, and last week the case at Vancouver General Hospital where someone [a woman in her 80’s] moved from being in a critical condition to being in a position to being discharged.”

He says all of that work being done by the province is designed to delay the spread of the virus and allow people to be prepared.

“The fact that there is only one case in hospital now doesn’t mean that we’re not preparing the acute care system for a more serious situation later,” Dix said. “Every acute care hospital right now is preparing. We may not be using those resources for COVID-19 right now, but you bet we are getting prepared.”

There are 46 cases of COVID-19 across the province – 22 each in the Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health regions, and one each in the Island Health and Interior Health regions.

“We can take action now and we will be taking actions now to do everything we can to manage every outbreak as it arises and as we detect it and to do everything we can to draw this out and to ensure that we have a health system that’s able to care for people who have COVID-19 but also care for the rest of the people,” added Medical Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, on Wednesday.