B.C. records no new COVID-19 deaths for fourth straight day

Health officials on Tuesday reported 10 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. and no new deaths.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced nine test-positive cases of COVID-19 and one new epi-linked case.

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The province has not recorded a death related to the novel coronavirus in four days now.

There are 2,669 confirmed cases of the disease in the province. Of those, 2,319 patients have fully recovered, or about 87 per cent.

B.C. now has just 183 active cases.

The number of patients in hospital is unchanged at 16, with four of them in intensive care.

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The province’s COVID-19 death toll remains at 167.

Henry said there are no new outbreaks at long-term care or assisted-living facilities and no new community outbreaks.

Henry said she is glad that cases continue to “trend down” in B.C., but warned now is not the time for complacency because of what’s happening elsewhere.

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About 136,000 people around the world were diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday, Henry said, the highest global number since the start of the pandemic.

“I want everyone to understand that the COVID-19 pandemic around us is far from over,” she said.

“In British Columbia, we continue to have small numbers of cases, but across Canada and around the world, it is still a major problem. And it’s going to be in our communities around the world for some time now.”

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On Tuesday, Reuters reported that Canada and the United States are set to extend a ban on non-essential travel to late July.

Henry stressed the importance of being able to manage people who cross the border.

“I think we need to be very cautious about allowing people who are here as tourists… I think that’s the last thing we need right now,” she said. “We need to focus on families, we need to focus on essential workers and being able to support them.”

— With files from Reuters