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Surrey RCMP crack down on after-hours clubs, arrest operator of lounge linked to COVID-19 exposure

Click to play video: 'B.C. officials report 53 new cases of COVID-19, no additional deaths'
B.C. officials report 53 new cases of COVID-19, no additional deaths
WATCH: British Columbia's health minister and top doctor have issued their sternest warning yet, asking people to stop partying. That behaviour has been linked to numerous outbreat and cases of the coronavirus over the past week. Keith Baldrey reports – Aug 7, 2020

A 40-year-old man has been arrested as part of an investigation into illegal after-hours clubs in Surrey, RCMP said Friday.

Earlier this month, RCMP officers and the COVID-19 Compliance and Enforcement Team targeted a number of clubs and parties being held in commercial properties in Whalley.

Click to play video: 'At least 45 cases of COVID-19 linked to Vancouver party'
At least 45 cases of COVID-19 linked to Vancouver party

The suspect allegedly broke into some of those properties and then used them to host unlicensed events, RCMP say.

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Police say the man operated a hookah lounge at the centre of a COVID-19 exposure that occurred between July 31 and Aug. 2.

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The man has been arrested for break-and-enter and uttering threats, police say.

Police say a number of other after-hours events advertised for this weekend should be considered cancelled.

Earlier in the day, the head of the Vancouver Police Union said three Vancouver police officers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus after responding to a large party.

Between 16 to 20 officers are in self-isolation as a result, Vancouver Police Union president Ralph Kaiser said.

In her daily news conference on Thursday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said at least 45 recent cases of COVID-19 have been linked to parties in the Vancouver area.

The province reported 53 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the highest number of new cases since late April.

weekly report from the BC Centre for Disease Control shows 290 new cases were reported from July 31 to Aug. 6, a 46-per-cent increase from the week before.

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More than 60 per cent of the new cases during that time period were recorded in Fraser Health.

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