Private parties in Vancouver area linked to at least 45 COVID-19 cases, officials say

B.C.’s top doctor says at least 45 cases of COVID-19 in the province are linked to private parties in the Metro Vancouver area.

Dr. Bonnie Henry said the exposure event bears a resemblance to an outbreak in Kelowna connected to private gatherings that took place over the Canada Day long weekend.

3:06 B.C. officials report 47 cases of COVID-19, no additional deaths for a second straight day

“It seems to be that there are overlapping social groups that have been to a number of parties, slightly different to what we saw in the Interior, but a similar concept,” Henry said.

Henry said about 400 people are now in self-isolation.

“Even though they may have been smaller individual parties, the overlapping groups meant that there’s a large number of people that were potentially exposed.”

The cases, Henry said, are in the Vancouver Coast Health and Fraser Health regions.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said Thursday that more than 1,500 British Columbians are currently self-isolating “because of, in some cases, a failure to engage in physical distancing.

1:26 Changing demographic of COVID-19 cases in B.C.

Dix had a message for people looking to plan or attend private parties.

“Enough. That’s enough now,” he said.

“Let’s be clear: It’s not the location of the behaviour, it’s the behaviour in the location.

“Whether it’s table-hopping or packed houseboats or free-for-all parties in a private residence, large groups over an extended time period are the biggest welcome mat there is for COVID-19 and it’s time to stop putting out that welcome mat.”

Henry and Dix reported 47 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and no new deaths.