COVID-19 update for March 20: Here's the latest on coronavirus in B.C. - The Sudbury Star | Canada News Media
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COVID-19 update for March 20: Here's the latest on coronavirus in B.C. – The Sudbury Star

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Here’s what to know about the novel coronavirus situation in B.C. on March 20, 2020. Check back here for more updates throughout the day.

Here’s your daily update with everything you need to know on the novel coronavirus situation in B.C. for March 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 numbers released on March 20, 2020, there are a total of 348 cases of COVID-19 in B.C.

• Six people have recovered, nine people have died. A total of 22 others remain in hospital, with 10 of those in intensive care.

• At least four seniors’ homes or facilities have been affected: Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver, Hollyburn House in West Vancouver, Haro Park Centre in Vancouver and Dufferin Care Centre in Coquitlam.

• The next update on figures is expected at noon on March 21.

• 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

6 p.m. – Starbucks closing all cafes, but drive-thrus remain open

The only way you’ll be ordering from Starbucks in the foreseeable future is at a drive-thru or from a food delivery app.

Effective immediately, the coffee chain is closing all its cafes, with the exception of locations serving inside or near hospitals.

5:46 p.m. – Victoria closing all playgrounds

Victoria is closing the city’s playgrounds to help stop the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in our community.

Signage will be installed at the city’s 40 playgrounds to further notify the public of the closures.

Meanwhile, all public parks and public washrooms remain open with increased cleaning

5 p.m. – West Vancouver declares state of emergency

The District of West Vancouver has declared a state of local emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among other things, the declaration gives the municipality powers to enforce closures and cancel business licenses for businesses not following the direction of the provincial health officer.

“These are unprecedented and challenging times, and these powers give us the ability to further protect our residents and businesses,” said Mayor Mary-Ann Booth. “We have a great community and I can see that many of us are doing their part by staying home and practicing social distancing, and abiding by the directives of the provincial health officer. Some are not. We are doing what we can, and we need these powers to ensure everyone practices social responsibility, even if we need to compel.”

3 p.m. – B.C. health officials announce 77 new cases of COVID-19

B.C.’s provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, says the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in British Columbia has grown to 348, with the addition of 77 new cases announced Friday.

Henry announced there has been another death associated with the outbreak at the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver, which raises the provincial death toll from COVID-19 to nine. The outbreak at the Lynn Valley has resulted in 36 confirmed cases and eight deaths.

The only B.C. death not linked to Lynn Valley was an elderly man in the Fraser health region.

Provincewide, there have been about two dozen health workers — including 18 at Lynn Valley — who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

2:25 p.m. – Catholic churches to hold masses without congregations

Catholic church services in Vancouver will be held in front of empty pews beginning Saturday.

J. Michael Miller,  the Archbishop of Vancouver,  is directing all masses, whether Sunday or weekday, to be offered without a public congregation.

“Consequently, all the faithful are dispensed, for the time being, from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass,” Miller said.

“Recognizing the great sacrifice involved for those who are unable to receive the Eucharist, particularly during this time of suffering, I invite all the faithful to deepen their relationship to the Lord by uniting themselves to his Passion.”

The faithful are also being told stay away from all parish activities and celebrations.

“Wherever possible – that is, whenever the health and safety of the community can be scrupulously attended to – churches may remain open for private prayer and Adoration,” Miller said. “However, for the good of the wider community, seniors or those who have serious medical conditions are strongly urged to remain at home and pray to the Father in secret.”

1:45 p.m. – Bowen Island tells visitors to stay away

The community of Bowen Island is asking non-residents to stay away due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The island municipality, which is a 20 minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay on B.C.’s. Lower Mainland, is asking tourists to postpone their trips and telling visitors on the island to return home.

“Our local businesses and services are scaling down operation to serve our essential needs, in order to protect the personal health and safety of the citizens of our small community,” the municipality said.

12:40 p.m. – Vancouver closes restaurants, playgrounds

Vancouver has issued an order for restaurants to shut down all restaurant table service as of midnight on Friday. The city also is closing playgrounds and creating a COVID-19 task force.

12:30 p.m. – B.C. Hotel Association estimates 40,000 employees will be laid off as hotels close.

B.C. Hotel Association president Ingrid Jarrett says B.C. has approximately 60,000 employees working in more than 700 hotels, and estimates that two-thirds of those people will be laid off, as occupancy rates dip below 10 per cent province wide.

12:15 p.m. – Pitt Meadows declares state of emergency

Pitt Meadows Mayor Bill Dingwall has declared a local state of emergency in the Fraser Valley city.

The declaration gives the city extraordinary powers to enforce public safety measures in support of initiatives directed by the Provincial Health Officer and the Minister of Public Safety in terms of limiting public gatherings and social distancing.

In its ongoing response to COVID-19, Pitt Meadows has closed all playgrounds, play structures, play boxes, the skate park, BMX Track and washrooms at Cottonwood Park and washrooms near the Spray Park at Harris Road Park. Spring break camps, effective Monday, will be shut down until further notice.

12 p.m. – News breaks that a staff member at Dufferin Care Centre in Coquitlam has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

A staff member at the Dufferin Care Centre in Coquitlam has tested positive for COVID-19 and is now in self-isolation, according to Fraser Health.

The long-term care facility at 1131 Dufferin St. is owned by Retirement Concepts.

Long-term care staff currently working at the centre will not be working at any other facilities to prevent the spread of the virus. The health authority said it will maintain staffing levels and only “essential visitors” may visit.

11 a.m. – Riverdale cast member who came into contact with someone with COVID-19 tests negative.

A Riverdale cast member has tested negative for COVID-19, according to the union that represents B.C. film and television performers.

Production on the Vancouver filmed Warner Bros. TV show shut down last week after a team member came into contact with someone infected with COVID-19.

The Union of B.C. Performers says it has since been informed by Warner Bros that the cast member’s test came back negative.

“We hope that this will help alleviate the concerns of our members who worked on Riverdale last week,” said a notice posted on the UBCP website on Friday.

9:30 a.m. – Delta closes all playgrounds, skate parks, suspends yoga studio’s licence

Delta has closed all municipal and school playgrounds to prevent close contact of children. Skate and bike parks throughout Delta have also been closed.

Other Metro Vancouver cities are also closing school and municipal playgrounds, including Coquitlam and Port Moody.

Meantime, Delta Mayor George Harvie has also suspended the business licence of a Bikram yoga studio, which continued classes despite the province-wide state of emergency.

5 a.m. – TransLink begins rear-door boarding on buses

Beginning today, customers in Metro Vancouver will be asked to board buses using the rear doors only. Given TransLink cannot collect cash fares at the rear doors, and some buses aren’t equipped with Compass Card readers at that entrance, the transit authority is also suspending fare collection on the bus system.

12 a.m. – Air Canada lays off 5,000 employees

Air Canada is temporarily laying off 5,000 employees across the country. The layoffs represent about 60 per cent of the company’s flight attendants; however, the company says the move is temporary and employees will be returned to active duty status when the airline is able to ramp up its network schedule.

12 a.m. – University of Victoria reports first case of COVID-19

On Thursday night, UVic president Jamie Cassels posted a statement on the university website saying a student who lives off campus has tested positive for COVID-19. The student is reportedly recovering with good care at home.


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)

B.C. Government – Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Government of Canada – Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outbreak update

World Health Organization – Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak

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Canada to donate up to 200,000 vaccine doses to combat mpox outbreaks in Africa

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The Canadian government says it will donate up to 200,000 vaccine doses to fight the mpox outbreak in Congo and other African countries.

It says the donated doses of Imvamune will come from Canada’s existing supply and will not affect the country’s preparedness for mpox cases in this country.

Minister of Health Mark Holland says the donation “will help to protect those in the most affected regions of Africa and will help prevent further spread of the virus.”

Dr. Madhukar Pai, Canada research chair in epidemiology and global health, says although the donation is welcome, it is a very small portion of the estimated 10 million vaccine doses needed to control the outbreak.

Vaccine donations from wealthier countries have only recently started arriving in Africa, almost a month after the World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

A few days after the declaration in August, Global Affairs Canada announced a contribution of $1 million for mpox surveillance, diagnostic tools, research and community awareness in Africa.

On Thursday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said mpox is still on the rise and that testing rates are “insufficient” across the continent.

Jason Kindrachuk, Canada research chair in emerging viruses at the University of Manitoba, said donating vaccines, in addition to supporting surveillance and diagnostic tests, is “massively important.”

But Kindrachuk, who has worked on the ground in Congo during the epidemic, also said that the international response to the mpox outbreak is “better late than never (but) better never late.”

“It would have been fantastic for us globally to not be in this position by having provided doses a much, much longer time prior than when we are,” he said, noting that the outbreak of clade I mpox in Congo started in early 2023.

Clade II mpox, endemic in regions of West Africa, came to the world’s attention even earlier — in 2022 — as that strain of virus spread to other countries, including Canada.

Two doses are recommended for mpox vaccination, so the donation may only benefit 100,000 people, Pai said.

Pai questioned whether Canada is contributing enough, as the federal government hasn’t said what percentage of its mpox vaccine stockpile it is donating.

“Small donations are simply not going to help end this crisis. We need to show greater solidarity and support,” he said in an email.

“That is the biggest lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic — our collective safety is tied with that of other nations.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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How many Nova Scotians are on the doctor wait-list? Number hit 160,000 in June

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HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government says it could be months before it reveals how many people are on the wait-list for a family doctor.

The head of the province’s health authority told reporters Wednesday that the government won’t release updated data until the 160,000 people who were on the wait-list in June are contacted to verify whether they still need primary care.

Karen Oldfield said Nova Scotia Health is working on validating the primary care wait-list data before posting new numbers, and that work may take a matter of months. The most recent public wait-list figures are from June 1, when 160,234 people, or about 16 per cent of the population, were on it.

“It’s going to take time to make 160,000 calls,” Oldfield said. “We are not talking weeks, we are talking months.”

The interim CEO and president of Nova Scotia Health said people on the list are being asked where they live, whether they still need a family doctor, and to give an update on their health.

A spokesperson with the province’s Health Department says the government and its health authority are “working hard” to turn the wait-list registry into a useful tool, adding that the data will be shared once it is validated.

Nova Scotia’s NDP are calling on Premier Tim Houston to immediately release statistics on how many people are looking for a family doctor. On Tuesday, the NDP introduced a bill that would require the health minister to make the number public every month.

“It is unacceptable for the list to be more than three months out of date,” NDP Leader Claudia Chender said Tuesday.

Chender said releasing this data regularly is vital so Nova Scotians can track the government’s progress on its main 2021 campaign promise: fixing health care.

The number of people in need of a family doctor has more than doubled between the 2021 summer election campaign and June 2024. Since September 2021 about 300 doctors have been added to the provincial health system, the Health Department said.

“We’ll know if Tim Houston is keeping his 2021 election promise to fix health care when Nova Scotians are attached to primary care,” Chender said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Newfoundland and Labrador monitoring rise in whooping cough cases: medical officer

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ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newfoundland and Labrador‘s chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says that so far this year, the province has recorded 230 confirmed cases of the vaccine-preventable respiratory tract infection, also known as pertussis.

Late last month, Quebec reported more than 11,000 cases during the same time period, while Ontario counted 470 cases, well above the five-year average of 98. In Quebec, the majority of patients are between the ages of 10 and 14.

Meanwhile, New Brunswick has declared a whooping cough outbreak across the province. A total of 141 cases were reported by last month, exceeding the five-year average of 34.

The disease can lead to severe complications among vulnerable populations including infants, who are at the highest risk of suffering from complications like pneumonia and seizures. Symptoms may start with a runny nose, mild fever and cough, then progress to severe coughing accompanied by a distinctive “whooping” sound during inhalation.

“The public, especially pregnant people and those in close contact with infants, are encouraged to be aware of symptoms related to pertussis and to ensure vaccinations are up to date,” Newfoundland and Labrador’s Health Department said in a statement.

Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, but vaccination is the most effective way to control the spread of the disease. As a result, the province has expanded immunization efforts this school year. While booster doses are already offered in Grade 9, the vaccine is now being offered to Grade 8 students as well.

Public health officials say whooping cough is a cyclical disease that increases every two to five or six years.

Meanwhile, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health expects the current case count to get worse before tapering off.

A rise in whooping cough cases has also been reported in the United States and elsewhere. The Pan American Health Organization issued an alert in July encouraging countries to ramp up their surveillance and vaccination coverage.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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