Here’s your daily update with everything you need to know on the novel coronavirus situation in B.C. for June 20, 2020.
Here’s your daily update with everything you need to know on the novel coronavirus situation in B.C. for June 20, 2020.
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.
Check back here for more updates throughout the day.
CASE SUMMARY
As of the latest figures given on June 19:
• Total number of confirmed cases: 2,790 (178 active)
• New cases since June 18, 2020: 7
• Hospitalized cases: 11
• Intensive care: 6
• COVID-19 related deaths: 168
• Recovered: 2,444
• Long-term care and assisted-living homes, and acute care facilities currently affected: 7
IN-DEPTH: COVID-19: Here are all the B.C. cases of the novel coronavirus
GUIDES AND LINKS
• COVID-19: Here’s everything you need to know about the novel coronavirus
• COVID-19: Vancouver-area events postponed or cancelled because of spreading virus
• COVID-19: What’s open and closed in Metro Vancouver due to coronavirus
• B.C. COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool
LATEST UPDATES
12 p.m. – Studies show B.C. dads feel closer to their kids during pandemic
Many B.C. dads say the COVID-19 pandemic has brought them closer to their kids and they are worried about going back to their old lives when they were too busy with commutes and working long hours, suggests a pair of new studies.
The first study, a survey conducted in May on behalf of the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation by Intensions Consulting, asked B.C. fathers about the impact of the COVID lockdown on their role as fathers.
It found that 59 per cent of B.C. dads felt closer to their children, while 48 per cent said they were more aware of their importance as a father.
Thirty-eight per per cent said they felt the lockdown has had a positive impact on their roles as fathers.
In a separate online survey, The Men’s Initiative at UBC conducted virtual focus groups with fathers.
Many fathers described a hectic family dynamic prior to COVID with busy lives focused on long work days with commuting, eating on the run, and their kids’ extracurricular activities.
They also expressed concern about returning to the old normal and a desire to make changes moving forward.
10 a.m. – B.C. government defers electricity bill payment for heavy industry
The B.C. government is deferring electricity costs for heavy industry impacted by COVID-19 for another three months.
Minister of Energy, Mines, and Petroleum Bruce Ralston said they are extending bill payments because some industries like the mining sector continue to feel the impacts of lower demand for products and depressed commodity prices.
As part of the BC Hydro COVID-19 Relief Program announced on April 1, eligible industrial customers with accounts in BC Hydro’s Transmission Service rate category were given the opportunity to defer 50 per cent of their electricity bill payments for the March to May billing period.
That has now been extended until the end of August.
12 a.m. – World Health Organization says pandemic is picking up speed
The WHO said Friday that the pandemic is accelerating, with more than 150,000 new cases reported Thursday, the most in a single day. Most of the new cases were from the Americas, said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
He said the virus is still deadly and spreading fast. He called on all countries to exercise “extreme vigilance.”
LOCAL RESOURCES
Here are a number of information and landing pages for COVID-19 from various health and government agencies.
• B.C. COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool
• Vancouver Coastal Health – Information on Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
• HealthLink B.C. – Coronavirus (COVID-19) information page
• B.C. Centre for Disease Control – Novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Government of Canada – Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outbreak update
• World Health Organization – Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak
-with files from The Canadian Press