B.C. tops 10,000 COVID-19 cases, 110 new infections reported

British Columbia reached another grim milestone Thursday, as the total number of COVID-19 cases recorded in the province topped 10,000.

Speaking at a live briefing, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 110 new cases, bringing the total to 10,066.

B.C. also recorded one new death, for a total of 245.

“Today we’ve reached a threshold, which is one that makes us pause. We have 10,000 people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the province, and we know that is an under-representation,” Henry said.

“It’s a reminder that many people have been impacted by this virus.”

2:33 Should there be asymptomatic testing for COVID-19 in B.C.?

Active cases edged upwards again to 1,394, while another 3,139 people remained in isolation due to possible exposure.

Fifty-five of the new cases were in the Fraser Health region, 49 of them in the Vancouver Health region, five in the Northern Health region and one was on Vancouver Island.

Seventy-six people with the virus were in hospital — 17 of whom are in critical or intensive care.

About 84 per cent of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in B.C. have recovered.

After a spike in September in which B.C. regularly reported more than 150 new cases per day, the province has begun to slowly flatten its curve of infection again.

The province conducted more than 12,000 COVID-19 tests in the previous 24 hours, Henry said, adding that the positivity rate was below one per cent.

However, she urged British Columbians to keep their Thanksgiving celebrations small this weekend and find ways to connect that don’t put people at risk.

3:06 Dr. Bonnie Henry’s health and safety advice for B.C. businesses

Henry also used her briefing Thursday to urge businesses to review their COVID-19 safety plans, with respiratory illness season fast approaching.

Businesses should make it easy for workers who feel ill to stay home, and integrate health screening as a regular part of everyone’s workday.

Companies should also track who is at work every day, and who they have been in contact with.

She also pledged easy access to the flu vaccine in the coming weeks, noting that some doses had already begun to arrive in B.C.

“It should be available in the coming weeks for anyone who wants it,” Henry said.