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B.C. records 737 new COVID-19 cases, Northern Health adds 82

Variant of concern numbers also rising
Jess Balzer
Jess Balzer
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B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. Government of B.C. Flickr

B.C.'s COVID-19 numbers continue to soar.

In a written statement this afternoon (March 19), Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said 737 more tests came back positive for the virus across B.C. during the past 24 hours for a new grand total of 90,786. 

Of those infections, Northern Health added 82 for an updated authority total of 5,443 since March 2020.

There have been two more COVID-linked deaths since Thursday (March 18), raising the province's toll to 1,421.

There are currently 5,207 active cases throughout B.C. with 292 people in hospital, 85 of which are admitted in ICU or critical care. Another 9,412 are under active public health monitoring due to being exposed to someone diagnosed with the virus. 

A total of 84,078 cases are officially classified as recovered. 

B.C. officials say there have been 68 newly-confirmed cases that are variants of concern. The total is now at 1,200 with 149 currently active.

There are 1,094 linked to the U.K. variant (B.1.1.7), 41 linked to the South African variant (B.1.351) and 65 with the Brazil variant (P.1). 

Yesterday saw good news for British Columbians, with the government announcing frontline workers will be among the first 320,000 British Columbians to receive vaccinations against COVID-19 outside of those in their age group.

Premier John Horgan and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry confirmed B.C. now expects to receive 340,000 doses of the AstraZeneca-Covishield vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII) by the end of May.

While the B.C. immunization plan calls for vaccinations based on descending age groups, provincial officials had previously promised to use the AstraZeneca vaccine for frontline workers.

Horgan highlighted professions such as teachers, police, grocery workers and those working at food processing plants when making the announcement.

Child care staff, manufacturing workers, wholesale/warehousing workers, staff in congregate housing, staff at correctional facilities, those working in cross-border transport, quarantine officers, certain postal workers, bylaw officers and those working at outbreak sites are also being prioritized in the coming weeks.

The province is selecting these workers based on concerns they’re in industries where full use of personal protective equipment and barriers can be challenging, outbreaks and clusters have occurred or are ongoing, and workers must live or work in congregate settings.

The province expects to administer the first 272,000 doses in April and another 69,000 by late May or early June.

Workers prioritized for vaccination with the AstraZeneca doses have the option of declining their jabs and awaiting shots within their same age group.

Despite the promising news, don't expect much of a relaxation of restrictions any time soon.

Dr. Bonnie Henry announced Thursday that B.C.'s age-based vaccine rollout is running ahead of schedule, and the province is going to be offering hundreds of thousands of the AstraZeneca vaccine to frontline workers as well over the next couple months.

By the end of April, 25 per cent of the province's population should have their first dose of the vaccine. But don't expect to get back to pre-pandemic life this spring.

“There's going to be very little change in the next two months,” Dr. Henry said Thursday. “But the more people who are immunized, whether it's in the workplace stream or whether it's in our main age-based stream, that get's us that much closer.

She said the vaccine isn't a "get out of jail free card," as the virus can still be transmitted to others who aren't vaccinated yet.

In education, an up-to-date list of northern B.C. schools marked for a COVID-19 exposure event in the month of March is as follows:

  • Hazelton Secondary - 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
  • Prince George Secondary (SD57) - March 3-5, 2021
  • Pineview Elementary (SD57) - March 3-5, 2021
  • Lax Kxeen Elementary (SD52) - March 3, 2021
  • Chief Matthews School (Independent) - March 4, 2021
  • Fraser Lake Elementary (SD91) - March 1-2, 2021
  • North Peace Secondary (SD60) - March 3-4, 2021
  • Charles Hays Secondary (SD52) - March 1-3, 2021
  • Ecole Roosevelt Park Community School (SD52) - March 2-5, 2021
  • Hart Highlands Elementary (SD57) - March 1, 2021
  • Mount Elizabeth Secondary (SD82) - March 1, 2021
  • Caledonia Secondary (SD82) - March 1-3, 2021
  • Houston Christian (Independent) - March 1-3, 2021
  • Houston Secondary (SD54) - March 1-3, 2021
  • Twain Sullivan Elementary (SD54) - March 1-3, 2021
  • Silverthorne Elementary (SD54) - March 1-3, 2021
  • Annunciation School Prince Rupert (Independent) - March 1-3, 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

- with files from Tyler Orton, Business In Vancouver, and Nicholas Johansen, Castanet