COVID-19 update for Feb. 10: Exposure alert for Surrey wrestling club | Four more deaths | B.C. seeks injunction against churches ignoring health laws – Vancouver Sun

Article content

Here’s your daily update with everything you need to know on the novel coronavirus situation in B.C. for Feb. 10, 2021.

We’ll provide summaries of what’s going on in B.C. right here so you can get the latest news at a glance. This page will be updated regularly throughout the day, with developments added as they happen.

B.C.’S COVID-19 CASE NUMBERS

As of the latest figures given on Feb. 9
• Total number of confirmed cases: 71,387 (4,393 active)
• New cases since Feb. 8: 435
• Total deaths: 1,263 (four new)
• Hospitalized cases: 241
• Intensive care: 68
• Total vaccinations: 155,585 of which 12,802 are second doses.
• Cases under public health monitoring: 6,879
• Recovered: 65,618
• Long-term care and assisted-living homes, and acute care facilities currently affected: 32

Article content

B.C. GUIDES AND LINKS

LATEST NEWS on COVID-19 in B.C.

3 p.m. – Health officials are set to share latest figures on COVID-19 in B.C.

Health officials are expected to update the number of COVID-19 cases, deaths and recoveries across the province.

11 a.m. – Fraser Health declares COVID-19 outbreak over at Glenwood Seniors Community

Fraser Health is declaring the COVID-19 outbreak over at Glenwood Seniors Community, a long-term care facility in Agassiz.

Health officials say there are no longer any cases at Glenwood, which is owned and operated by Park Place Seniors Living.

11 a.m. – Interior Health declares outbreak at Carrington Place in Vernon

Interior Health has declared an outbreak at Carrington Place Retirement Residence in Vernon.

One resident has tested positive for COVID-19.

Everyone in close contact with this individual is in self-isolation and monitoring for symptoms, according to Interior Health.

Carrington Place is a combined assisted living and independent living residence privately operated by Chartwell.

Vancouver health officials say community spread of COVID-19 appears to be slowing in Whistler compared to previous weeks.

In a news release Wednesday, Vancouver Coastal Health says as of Feb. 8 it has identified 43 new cases of COVID-19 in Whistler, and an additional 24 older cases with earlier symptom onset dates for a total of 614 cases since Jan. 1.

9:30 a.m. – Exposure alert for Surrey wrestling club

Fraser Health has issued a COVID-19 exposure alert for a wrestling club in Surrey.

The health agency says the possible exposure occurred at the Rustom Wrestling Club, located at 104-13423 78 Ave., on Jan. 28 between 4:30 and 7 p.m.

On its Instagram page, Rustom Wrestling Club said the club has been closed since October because wrestling, like other contact sports and adult team sports, is prohibited under provincial health orders. However, the club recently made its downstair gym available to its athletes and members “with COVID-19 rules in place.”

Article content

“The recent initiative was to help our members and help the club sustain. With the limitation of four people at a time, one person tested positive for COVID and the three others have been informed and are taking the necessary actions,” the Instagram post said.

“The individual who tested positive is recovering well.”

The exposure risk is believed to be low but Fraser Health asks anyone who may have visited the club on that day to monitor themselves for symptoms.

Rustom Wrestling Club says its gym facility will be closed until further notice.

federal requirements that international air travellers spend a mandatory three days in a government-designated hotel, it seems most arrivals in Canada will still not have to quarantine at all.

A long list of exemptions to the previous isolation order — from truck drivers to fishing crews and essential health workers — will remain in force, said Tammy Jarbeau, a Public Health Agency of Canada spokeswoman.

“The rules that were in place still stand, there are no changes,” she said Tuesday.

Border restrictions imposed in late March of last year have curbed travel into this country by about 90 per cent.

But there were still 8.6 million arrivals total (land and air) between then and the end of January 2021, and 74 per cent of them — about 6.2 million — were exempt from the previous requirement to isolate at home for 14 days, according to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) statistics.

Article content

According to the CBSA, three quarters of the quarantine-exempt travellers entering by land have a “critical role” in the trade and transportation sector. Another 18 per cent of the exempt people at land crossings must cross the border to go to work. And the rest fall under one of the other exemptions.

– Tom Blackwell, National Post

12 a.m.  – Four more deaths in B.C. and 435 more cases

There were 435 cases of COVID-19 reported Tuesday and four deaths.

There are now 4,393 active cases of the disease in B.C., of which 241 are being treated in hospital with 68 of those are in critical. Over 6,800 people are in self isolation after being exposed to the virus.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said there has been a health-care outbreak at a group home in Kamloops.

Six staff members have tested positive at Highridge Home and Singh House, two private 24-hour support facilities located on separate floors in the same building.

There are 32 active outbreaks in health-care facilities. There have been 155,585 vaccines administered in B.C., with 1,084 given over the past day.

British Columbia’s COVID-19 vaccination program is in its darkest days, with less than 1,100 jabs given on Monday.

The provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, said there were 1,089 immunizations on Feb. 8, for a grand total of 155,585 (including 12,802 second doses) since the program began in December.

Article content

B.C.’s provincial health officer and attorney general are asking for a injunction ordering three churches to follow public health rules banning in-person religious services.

The application in B.C. Supreme Court comes after the churches filed a petition challenging the province’s prohibition on services, arguing they violate people’s rights and freedoms.

The Riverside Calvary Chapel in Langley, the Immanuel Covenant Reformed Church in Abbotsford and Free Reformed Church of Chilliwack filed the petition last month.

Dr. Bonnie Henry says in her response to the petition that the ban on indoor gatherings, including in-person religious services, is necessary to limit the spread of COVID-19 in B.C.

B.C. VACCINE TRACKER

LOCAL RESOURCES for COVID-19 information

Here are a number of information and landing pages for COVID-19 from various health and government agencies.

– With files from The Canadian Press