B.C. announces first COVID-19 death in more than a week

Health officials on Monday reported 32 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. over the past three days and one new death in long-term care.

There were 10 positive cases from Friday to Saturday, six cases from Saturday to Sunday, and 16 from Sunday to Monday.

There are 2,822 confirmed cases of the disease in the province. Of those, 2,471 patients have fully recovered, or about 87.5 per cent.

B.C. now has just 182 active cases.

Fourteen patients are in hospital, with six of them in intensive care.

The province’s COVID-19 death toll is now at 169.

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Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said there are no new outbreaks at long-term care or assisted-living facilities and no new community outbreaks.

Henry said an announcement that B.C. will move to Phase 3 of its plan to reopen the province could be coming soon and Premier John Horgan will provide more information this week.

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“The gradual easing of restrictions means more activities can get underway but it does not mean a change to our basic principles, the foundation of what is keeping us safe here in British Columbia,” she said.

The third phase of reopening would include easing restrictions on travel. Henry said British Columbians need to be “respectful” of the B.C. communities they will visit, and “take the same precautions that we are taking now at home.”

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“If you or anybody in your family or travel group is sick, don’t go,” Henry said, adding that those who fall ill while travelling need to immediately self-isolate and contact local public health teams to get tested.

She noted that not all communities may be ready to welcome tourists this summer.

Henry said the ban on gatherings of more than 50 people will remain in place.

Henry also warned about the risk of “pandemic fatigue,” noting recent reports of large groups in Vancouver’s entertainment district.

“We all want this to go away. I certainly do,” she said, adding that now is not the time for complacency.

“We are seeing more people out and about, we are seeing more people going into work, but we’re learning as we go the processes that keep us safe in doing that.”