THE LATEST:
- A public health alert is currently in place for the Revelstoke region after a sudden spike in cases.
- Health officials reported 428 new COVID-19 cases and eight more deaths on Tuesday.
- B.C. has 6,472 active cases as of Tuesday. So far, 954 people have died of the disease.
- There are 367 COVID-19 patients in hospital, including 77 in intensive care.
- Province has extended its state of emergency due to COVID-19.
- To date, 28,209 British Columbians have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
- There are currently outbreaks at St. Paul’s Hospital, Chilliwack General Hospital and University Hospital of Northern B.C.
B.C. reported 428 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. and eight more deaths on Tuesday, as it extended the provincial state of emergency due to COVID-19.
The original state of emergency was declared on March 18, 2020.
A public health alert has been issued for the Revelstoke region, where community transmission and new cases of COVID-19 have increased substantially in recent days.
Interior Health said in a news release Tuesday that 29 new cases had been identified in the last two weeks, and that the cumulative total in the area is now “above 85 cases” since the start of the pandemic, up from 50 in early December.
The weekly case numbers in Revelstoke are higher than many other areas of B.C. on a per capita basis, and because there is no specific source for the new cases, the authority says it’s important that everyone follow public health rules and get tested at the first sign of symptoms.
The province has 6,472 active cases of COVID-19 and 954 people have died of the disease. There are 367 COVID-19 patients in hospital including 77 in intensive care, health officials reported.
COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared at St Paul’s Hospital, Chilliwack General Hospital, and the University Hospital of Northern B.C.
As of Tuesday, 28,209 people in B.C. have received a COVID-19 vaccine.
A briefing detailing B.C.’s latest COVID-19 case count is scheduled for 3 p.m. PT.
READ MORE:
- A Victoria city councillor is the latest Canadian politician to admit he travelled outside of Canada over the holidays, despite federal and provincial guidelines against non-essential travel.
- Another 25 cases of COVID-19 have been linked to Big White Ski Resort, bringing the total number of cases in the community cluster to 136.
- The operator of a second British Columbia mink farm with animals that tested positive for COVID-19 has euthanized the remaining 1,000 mink, says the province’s chief veterinarian.
- After nine months of containment and mitigation, a new approach is required, says the group COVID Strategic Choice, which advocates for a “near zero” COVID-19 strategy in Canada.
- A British Columbia judge says a polyamorous father is not breaching the province’s COVID-19 health orders by sharing his Squamish apartment with a new partner who is also living with her husband in Vancouver.
What’s happening elsewhere in Canada
As of Tuesday evening, Canada’s COVID-19 death toll was at 16,233, according to the Government of Canada COVID-19 dashboard.
Canada’s total case count was 618,646.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Common symptoms include:
- Fever.
- Cough.
- Tiredness.
- Shortness of breath.
- Loss of taste or smell.
- Headache.
But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.
What should I do if I feel sick?
Use the B.C. Centre for Disease Control’s COVID-19 self-assessment tool. Testing is recommended for anyone with symptoms of cold or flu, even if they’re mild. People with severe difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, difficulty waking up or other extreme symptoms should call 911.
What can I do to protect myself?
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Keep them clean.
- Keep your distance from people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Wear a mask in indoor public spaces.
- Be aware of evolving travel advisories to different regions.
More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government’s website.
