B.C.’s provincial health officer says recent increases in the number of new COVID-19 cases being confirmed each day is an expected result of people opening up their social circles and spending more time outside the home.
B.C.’s provincial health officer says recent increases in the number of new COVID-19 cases being confirmed each day is an expected result of people opening up their social circles and spending more time outside the home.
On Tuesday, Dr. Bonnie Henry announced 13 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing B.C.’s total to 3,128 to date. That follows a weekend when 62 new cases were confirmed.
“We’ve had more than we’re used to seeing in the last few days. This is not unexpected,” Henry acknowledged in her daily briefing.
Still, she said she was distressed to see one day recently when there were 25 new cases of the virus.
“That’s way above my comfort zone,” Henry said.
She added that everyone needs to recommit to socializing with only a small number of people in larger spaces — preferably outside.
Tuesday’s update included no new deaths from COVID-19, leaving the total deaths to date at 189.
There are 209 people with active cases of the illness, of whom 14 are in hospital, including five in intensive care.
‘We have sacrificed a lot’
Henry said that when B.C. began implementing measures to prevent the spread of the virus back in March, she had some hope that health officials around the world would be able to stop COVID-19 in its tracks, but those hopes have been dashed.