Coronavirus: 94 cases of COVID-19 in the Interior Health region

The Interior Health Authority (IHA) has recorded 94 cases of COVID-19, health officials said on Monday.

Dr. Bonnie Henry said there are 86 new cases province-wide over the past 48 hours, bringing the total to 970 cases of the novel coronavirus in B.C.

There are 106 hospitalizations and 60 people in critical care. B.C. recorded two additional deaths over the weekend, including the province’s first death in the community.

The BC Coroners Service says a man from the Vancouver Coastal Health region died at his residence from COVID-19.

Thirteen long-term care facilities are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks; all on the Lower Mainland.

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As the virus continues to spread, the positive news, Henry said, is that 48 per cent of cases have fully recovered.

“We really are in a critical juncture right now in B.C.,” Henry said.

“The next two weeks, we are in our second incubation period. This is a critical time for us where we will see if our hospitals see the continuing trickle, or if we are going to see dramatic increases.”

Henry said sweeping restrictions on social gatherings, travel and business is having an impact.

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“We are not through the storm yet, we have not yet reached our peak, we have more people every day who are in hospital and in our intensive care units so we need to continue to do all we can,” she said.

Two tertiary hospitals, Kelowna General and Royal Inland, and four regional hospitals, including Vernon, Penticton, Kootenary Boundary and East Kootenay, are designated COVID-19 sites.

As of Monday, intensive care capacity IH-wide was at about 55 per cent, Interior Health said.

Overall, hospital occupancy is at about 60 per cent, “which is significantly lower than normal,” according to the health authority.

Six patients with COVID-19 are in hospital across the Interior Health region.