For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic reached B.C. in January 2020, the province has recorded consecutive daily case counts of more than 1,000 each.
In a rare weekend statement today (April 3), by virtue of Friday's (April 2) stat holiday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 2,090 new infections in the last 48 hours for an updated total of 102,970.
Northern Health found 33 of those new cases since Thursday (April 1) for an updated regional authority total of 6,076 since March 14, 2020.
The two-day case-counts across the province are as follows:
- 1,018 = Thursday to Friday
- 1,072 = Friday to Saturday
These also mark the second and third times in the last four days B.C. has set new records of lab-confirmed infections found for the virus in a 24-hour span.
Currently, there are 90 B.C. residents admitted into critical care or ICU with COVID-19.
However, the Ministry of Health's statement does not include, as of this publication, an update on possible deaths linked to the virus, an updated total on variant-of-concern cases, the number of active cases or the amount of people in hospital.
Dr. Henry also adds distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine is set to expand 'by the end of next week,' which will include select pharmacies in Prince George, Quesnel, Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and Terrace.
This is in partnership with the BC Pharmacy Association, but exact locations are still being determined.
“Right now, vaccine bookings for people 72 and older, Indigenous peoples 18 and over, and individuals who are clinically extremely vulnerable continue throughout the long weekend," Dr. Henry adds.
"The AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine is also available to people between the ages of 55 and 65 on the Lower Mainland – B.C.’s highest transmission area."
On Friday night (April 1), the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) added a March 27 flight involving Prince George for potential COVID-19 exposure.
Passengers in rows four through 10 on WestJet flight 3287 from Vancouver to YXS are being warned of possibly coming into contact with someone who recently tested positive for the virus.
Northern Health is also seeing concerning spikes in multiple locations, according to the latest Geographic Distribution of COVID-19 by Health Service Delivery of Case Residence data, also from the BCCDC.
From March 24-30, 2021, the northern interior, which includes Prince George, recorded 59 cases.
Northeast B.C. saw a large increase late last month, tallying 140 infections while the northwest region saw 154 in that week.
In education, an up-to-date list of northern B.C. schools marked for a COVID-19 exposure, and listed with a self-monitoring period, is as follows:
- Duchess Park Secondary (SD57) - March 16-17, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 31, 2021
- Heather Park Elementary - March 17-19, 2021
- Self-monitoring periods ends April 2, 2021
- D.P. Todd Secondary (SD57) - March 18-19, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends April 2, 2021
- Telkwa Elementary (SD54) - March 1-5, 8-11, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
- Muheim Memorial Elementary (SD54) - March 1-5, 8-1, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
- Walnut Park Elementary (SD54) - March 1-5, 8-11, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
- Smithers Secondary (SD54) - March 1-5, 8-11, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
- Moberly Lake Elementary (SD59) - March 8-12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- Conrad Elementary School (SD52) - March 11-12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- St. Joseph's School (Independent) - March 1-5, 8, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
- Spruceland Traditional Elementary (SD57) - March 12, 15-19, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends April 2, 2021
- St. Joseph's School - Smithers (Independent) - March 1-5, 8-11, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
- Valemount Secondary (SD57) - March 12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- Conrad Elementary School (SD82) - March 8-9, 11, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
- DP Todd Secondary (SD57) - March 12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- Chief Matthews School (Independent) - March 11-12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- Notre Dame School (SD59) - March 8-9, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 24, 2021
- College Heights Secondary (SD57) - March 15-17, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 31, 2021
- Heather Park Elementary (SD57) - March 10, 11-12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- Notre Dame School (SD59) - March 8-9, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 23, 2021
- Ecole Roosevelt Park Community School (SD52) - March 10-12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- Lax Kxeen Elementary (SD52) - March 10-12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- Pacific Coast School (SD52) - March 10-12, 2021
- Self-monitoring ends March 26, 2021
- Caledonia Secondary (SD82) - March 5, 8-12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- Kildala Elementary (SD82) - March 12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- Cassie Hall Elementary (SD82) - March 10-12, 2021
- Self-monitoring periods ends March 26, 2021
- William Konkin Elementary (SD91) - March 10-12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- Mount Elizabeth Secondary (SD82) - March 10-12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- Hazelton Secondary (SD82) - March 11, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
- Ecole Roosevelt Park Community School (SD52) - March 9-11, 2021
- Sel-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
- Charles Hays Secondary - March 8, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 22, 2021
- Charles Hays Secondary (SD52) - March 10-12, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 26, 2021
- Kildala Elementary (SD82) - March 11, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 25, 2021
- Chief Matthews School (Independent) - March 8, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 22, 2021
- Valemount Elementary (SD57) - March 8-9, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 23, 2021
- College Heights Secondary (SD57) - March 8-9, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 22, 2021
- Caledonia Secondary (SD82) - March 8-9, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 23, 2021
- Lax Kxeen Elementary (SD52) - March 8, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 22, 2021
- Prince Rupert Middle (SD52) - March 8-10, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 24, 2021
- Conrad Elementary (SD52) - March 8-9, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 22, 2021
- Skeena Middle (SD82) - March 1-5, 8, 2021
- Self-monitoring periods ends March 22, 2021
- Dawson Creek Secondary - South Peace campus (SD59) - March 5, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 19, 2021
- Kildala Elementary (SD82) - March 8, 2021
- Self-monitoring period ends March 22, 2021
Northern Health's school-exposure section explains the following:
- Contact tracing is initiated to determine how the individual was infected and who they were in close contact with
- We identify and notify close contacts who may be at an increased risk, and advise them to self-isolate and monitor for symptoms for 14 days
- Only Public Health can determine who is a close contact
- Learning groups, friends or other connections may not be determined to be a close contact
- Public Health staff works closely with the school and school district throughout the case and contact management process to maintain close communication with the school community
