B.C.'s COVID-19 curve continues to bend the wrong way.
A day after B.C. recorded more than 1,000 cases in a single-day count for the first time in the pandemic, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry appeared on camera this afternoon (April 1) and said 832 more tests came back positive for the virus during the past 24 hours for a new grand total of 100,880.
Of those infections, Northern Health added 39, which brings the authority total to 6,043 since March 14, 2020.
There have been five new COVID-linked deaths, which raises the province's toll to 1,463.
There are currently 296 people in hospital, 79 of which are admitted in ICU or critical care.
As health authorities are continuing to struggle to contain rapid spread and transmission, Prince George is also seeing rising case counts.
According to the latest Geographic Distribution of COVID-19 by Local Health Area of Case Residence, the northern capital's region recorded 58 cases between March 21-27, 2021.
A week earlier, from March 14-20, 2021, the area saw 39 cases counted.
Prince Rupert continues to see high numbers, but caseloads have dropped to under 100, the latest data shows, with the region tallying 80 cases.
Peace River South has seen a sharp increase during the past seven-day reporting period with 92 cases, while Peace River North saw 17.
In education, 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
