One day after reporting the fewest number of COVID-19 cases since mid-March, B.C.’s top doctor says another 23 people have tested positive for the virus.

Two of those new cases were across Interior Health – which now has 179 cases – as Dr. Bonnie Henry announced two more cases linked to community outbreaks.

“It includes one related to the Kearl Lake oil sands project bringing our total there to 16 though I will say there are a number of associated cases to people who have returned from working in Kearl Lake,” she said. “The outbreak is ongoing in Kearl Lake.”

The other case linked to an outbreak was a worker at Superior Poultry in Coquitlam, bringing the total there up to 56. There are still 35 people at United Poultry, and seven at the Fraser Valley specialty poultry operation who have tested positive according to Dr. Henry.

She also announced that three more seniors in long term care have died from the virus, for a total of 124 people who have lost their lives.

“We are distressed when we hear about more of our seniors and elders succumbing to COVID-19 in long term care, and we pass our condolences on to the families, added Henry, who noted that 1,494 people have fully recovered from the virus.

The announcement came on the same day that province is expected to release how it plans to reopen the economy.