B.C. COVID-19 total now 1,647, Northern Health records another test-positive confirmed case

There are now 1,647 COVID-19 cases across B.C. as of today (April 18).

Dr. Bonnie Henry announced 29 new cases at a daily briefing in Victoria.

Northern Health has one new test-positive confirmed case which makes a total of 34 authority wide.

There are 686 cases in Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), 680 in Fraser Health, 97 on Vancouver Island and 150 in Interior Health.

There are 115 in the hospital with 54 of those cases currently in ICU.

B.C. #COVID19 update as per Dr. Henry (Saturday, April 18):
- 29 new cases
- 1,647 new total #COVIDー19 #COVID19BC #drbonniehenry #BC #virus #update #coronavirus #outbreak #WHO @PGMatters pic.twitter.com/zvuHKPC4JU
— jess fedigan (@jj_fedigan) April 18, 2020

There continue to be no new outbreaks in long-term care facilities. Currently, 20 outbreaks remain active in facilities and one acute care unit in the Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health regions. However, there were additional cases associated with these outbreaks announced Saturday, bringing the total number of positive cases linked to long-term care facilities to 288.

The outbreak at the Mission federal correctional institute in the Fraser Valley continues to grow. Now, the institute has 70 people who have tested positive, up from 63 cases Friday, and there has been one death related to the outbreak. Henry said 60 of the cases are inmates.

- 115 in hospital
- 54 in ICU
- Three more deaths for a total of 81
- 987 considered fully recovered#COVIDー19 #COVID19BC #drbonniehenry #BC #virus #update #coronavirus #outbreak #WHO #northernbc #northernhealth
— jess fedigan (@jj_fedigan) April 18, 2020

There were three deaths in the past 24 hours which brings the updated total to 81.

"The storm is still raging," Henry said.

"What we need to do now is continue to hold our line. You are making a difference and we are making a difference together. We need to continue to be kind, to be calm and to be safe."

She says 987 have recovered.

Henry encourages everyone to be kind to people who have to continue to work during the pandemic, such as those working in grocery stores, pharmacies, and in health care. She adds that isolation can be challenging, and that anyone who has an underlying illness should contact a doctor through virtual care. She mentions Anxiety Canada and Bounceback BC as useful resources for mental health."

"What we need to do now, is continue to hold our line," she says. "You are making a difference and we are making a difference together. We need to continue to be kind, to be calm and to be safe." #COVIDー19 #COVID19BC #drbonniehenry #BC #virus #update #coronavirus #outbreak #WHO
— jess fedigan (@jj_fedigan) April 18, 2020