It’s another day of 500 plus COVID-19 cases in B.C.
During Friday’s briefing, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced 516 new cases of the virus, bringing the total to 25,474 for the province.
That included 148 new cases in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and 17 on Vancouver Island, bringing the active case count on the island to 128.
The province also reported 10 new deaths.
B.C also announced new provincial health orders that included limiting travel to essential trips only and mandating masks in all public spaces, retail settings, and shared workspaces.
Dr. Bonnie Henry says the orders are a much-needed measure to remind us that COVID-19 is still around.
“The province-wide orders are about all of us seeing fewer people, having safer workplaces and pausing higher risk activities. The orders on social gatherings and events are to keep our families and friends safe. The best way to do that is to decrease our social interactions and spend as little time as possible with those outside of our immediate household.”
“In our workplaces, we want to be using all of the tools and resources to keep employees and customers safe and, importantly, keep as many businesses as possible open,” explained Henry.
Island Health also declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Discovery Harbour long-term care home in Campbell River.
