B.C.’s top health officials will provide an update on the latest infections of COVID-19 in the province on Tuesday, May 19 at 3 p.m. PT.
B.C. has recorded 16 new COVID-19 cases in the 48-hour period between Saturday and Monday, as the province prepares to enter Phase 2 of its pandemic response with a gradual reopening of businesses and services.
Speaking in a daily briefing on Monday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said there have been two more deaths from the illness in the province.
Phase 2 of B.C.’s restart plan kicks off today and Henry says the latest guidelines for businesses that are allowed to begin reopening are now available on the province’s website.
Henry says each business must have a COVID-19 safety plan in place that customers, employees and public health officials may access.
COVID-19 cases
B.C. reported 16 new cases of COVID-19 between Saturday and midday Monday, bringing the province’s total to 2,444.
Henry says 335 of those cases are active, with 47 people in hospital and 12 in critical or intensive care.
144 deaths
On Monday, it was announced that two more people have died after contracting the novel coronavirus, raising the province’s death toll to 143.
Henry says there are no new community outbreaks, but there are ongoing outbreaks in 14 long-term care facilities with one outbreak declared over at the Dufferin Care Centre in the Fraser health region.
To date, 1,966 people have recovered from the disease.
Henry warned that as the province begins to reopen, the potential for a flare-up does go up.
“For many the transition brings anticipation — but it also brings further apprehension and anxiety as schools and businesses look to open once again,” she said.
“We are still learning the new ways of safe social interactions and doing things we’ve never had to do before. And that itself can cause new anxiety and concern.”
READ MORE: How B.C. plans to ease COVID-19 restrictions
Top COVID-19 stories today
Important reminders:
Health officials widely agree the most important thing you can do to prevent coronavirus and other illnesses is to wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face.
The World Health Organization said more than 80 per cent of COVID-19 infections are estimated to be mild.
What’s happening elsewhere in Canada
As of Monday, there were 78,072 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada.
The numbers are not a complete picture, as they don’t account for people who haven’t been tested, those being investigated as a potential case and people still waiting for test results.
For a look at what’s happening across the country and the world, check the CBC interactive case tracker.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Common symptoms include:
- Fever.
- Cough.
- Tiredness.
But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.
What should I do if I feel sick?
Stay home. Isolate yourself and call your local public health authority or 811. Do not visit an emergency room or urgent care centre to get tested.
Find information about COVID-19 from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
Non-medical information about COVID-19 is available in B.C. from 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. PT, seven days a week at 1-888-COVID19 (1-888-268-4319).
What can I do to protect myself?
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Keep them clean.
- Keep at least two metres away from people who are sick.
- When outside the home, keep two metres away from other people.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Masks won’t fully protect you from infection, but can help prevent you from infecting others.
More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government’s website.
If you have a COVID-19-related story we should pursue that affects British Columbians, please email us at [email protected]
