B.C. reports 102 new COVID-19 cases, two new deaths

B.C. health officials reported 102 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and two new deaths.

Seventy-one people are in hospital, an increase of five since Monday. The number of people in intensive care remains unchanged at 16.

There are 1,384 active cases in the province, an increase of 31 from Monday.

1:46 B.C. flattening COVID-19 curve, but ‘not out of the woods’ yet

There have been 9,841 total cases of COVID-19 in the province, of which 8,184 — or about 83 per cent — have recovered.

There are 3,089 people in isolation due to possible exposure to the novel coronavirus, up 79 from Monday.

The two deaths bring the province’s COVID-19 death toll to 244.

3:52 BC is once again bending the COVID curve

On Monday, Henry reported 358 new cases of COVID-19 over a three-day period and four new deaths.

Henry also revealed modelling data that suggested B.C. has begun to flatten its curve for a second time.

The virus reproduction rate — the number of additional infections caused by each new case — has dipped below one, an indication the spread has been curbed even as students return to the classroom and restaurants remain open.

1:42 Parents, teachers call for greater transparency of COVID exposures in schools

The number of COVID-19 cases among school-aged children has gone up only marginally since kids returned to the classroom in September, Henry said Monday.

The comments come after a group of West Vancouver parents wrote a letter to Henry and Vancouver Coastal Health Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Patricia Daly about a lack of transparency when it comes to COVID-19 exposures in schools.

There have been 50 schools with COVID-19 exposure events as of Oct. 1, the province reported Monday.

— With files from Richard Zussman and The Canadian Press