There have been 16 new cases of COVID-19 reported over the last two days by B.C. Health Officials as well as two additional deaths.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says there were eight test positive cases each on Sunday and Monday, for a total of 2,444 cases and 143 deaths. She says both of the deaths were in the long term care homes in the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health areas.
There were no new cases to report across Interior Health, which still has had 181 test positive cases.
Henry, along with Health Minister Adrian Dix began their press conference by offering their condolences to the family of Snowbird member Captain Jennifer Casey, who died in a plane crash in Kamloops yesterday.
“This is a loss that will be felt by all of us,” Henry said. “We thank the Snowbirds, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Canadian Armed Forces for the work that they do to support us across the country. We stand beside you with our hands on our hearts in sorrow, and in strength.”
“I think perhaps we might have some solace in knowing that Capt. Casey may be truly has slipped the surly bounds of earth and is dancing the skies.”
As for long weekend travel, Dix says there were 32,291 passengers on BC Ferries between Thursday and Sunday this year, compared to 163,578 in 2018.
“This indicates that while obviously there is travel going on in the province, that people have been mindful of the guidance they have received,” he said.
“Throughout the summer and well beyond, physical distance remains our constant companion. Physical distancing along with washing our hands, coughing and sneezing into our sleeves, staying home if we’re sick.”
There are 47 people currently in hospital with COVID-19, of which 12 are in ICU. Further, 1,966 people have recovered – or just over 80 per cent of the total number of cases, leaving 335 active cases across the province.
Monday also marked the final update ahead of the launch of Phase Two of the province’s reopening plan, which goes into effect tomorrow, May 19.
Henry says health officials will be watching carefully to ensure that necessary testing and contact tracing will go ahead as needed, noting that people need to stay alert and think about their own actions as they expand their bubbles. Just like the Easter Weekend, we will know how well people followed the orders to stay close to home in two weeks, depending on if there’s a spike in the number of cases.
Henry says B.C. has the capacity to test wherever necessary, but the onus is on all of us to monitor carefully for symptoms.
She’s also asking people to consider using non-medical masks while using transit or going into smaller stores and spaces, though notes that people need to decide their actions based on the needs and the risk levels of their respective families.
