THE LATEST:
- Health officials will give their daily update in a written statement at 3 p.m. PT.
- To date, 2,558 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in B.C.
- 164 people have died of the illness.
- 2,153 people have recovered.
- There are currently 241 active cases of COVID-19.
- As of Thursday, 33 patients were in hospital with COVID-19, including six in intensive care.
B.C. has now had 2,558 confirmed cases of COVID-19, but less than a 10th of those are still active.
As of Thursday, there were 241 active cases in the province, while 2,153 people have recovered. Sadly, 164 people have now died from the novel coronavirus, including 93 residents of long-term care homes.
The number of COVID-19 patients in hospital has fallen to 33, including six who are in intensive care.
However, officials continue to be concerned about the impact of the pandemic on the elderly and care home residents, and specialized response teams have been sent in to deal with outbreaks at two facilities in the Fraser Health region.
READ MORE:
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 10 p.m. PT on Thursday, Canada had 88,512 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases, with 46,480 considered resolved or recovered. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial health data, regional information and CBC’s reporting stood at 6,963.
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]
