British Columbia’s record-breaking COVID-19 surge continued Friday, as the province reported new all-time highs for single-day case growth and hospitalizations.
In a written statement, health officials reported 617 new cases of the virus, eclipsing the record of 594 set just Thursday.
There were 167 people hospitalized with COVID-19, while 50 people were in critical or intensive care, a number last recorded in the third week of April.
Ninety-nine of the hospitalizations were in the Fraser Health region and 54 of them were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.
There were two new deaths, bringing B.C.’s total to 290.
Get weekly health news
Most of the new cases were in the Fraser Health region (424) and Vancouver Coastal Health region (130). Forty-two were in the Interior Health region, 16 were on Vancouver Island and five were in the Northern Health region.
About 71 per cent of B.C.’s 20,985 cases have recovered.
There were three new outbreaks at the Sun Pointe Village, Capilano Care Centre and Fraserview Intermediate Care Lodge residential care homes. Outbreaks at four health-care facilities were declared over.
Community outbreaks at Coast Spas and Pace Processing were also declared over.
Meanwhile, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said Friday that police and other provincial enforcement officers had been empowered to issue fines related to a new order banning limo and party busses from operating in the Lower Mainland until Nov. 23.
Farnworth said anyone caught operating a perimeter-seating vehicle could face a $2,000 fine, while passengers taking part in social gatherings on party busses or limos could face $200 fines.
Comments