In a written statement this afternoon (Sept. 25), Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 98 new positive tests for COVID-19 across B.C. during the past 24 hours for a new grand total of 8,641.
There has been another 11 recorded in Northern Health for an authority total of 289.
There are 1,349 active cases in B.C., which includes 62 in hospital and 19 in critical care. A total of 3,533 are under active public health monitoring as a result of exposure to known cases.
There has been one new death, keeping the fatality rate at 230. Officials say 7,036 people have fully recovered (81 per cent).
There have been 4,127 recorded cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, 4,412 in Fraser Health, 204 in Island Health and 522 in the Interior Health region. Another 87 cases are linked to people who reside outsoide of Canada.
There are still only three schools within Northern Health that have been listed for possible COVID-19 exposure.
Dawson Creek's École Frank Ross Elementary (SD59) was the first reported exposure, with Quesnel Junior Secondary (SD28) as the second.
Both schools were potentially exposed between Sept. 10 and 11.
Nak’albun Elementary School is the third listed with possible exposure dates between Sept. 16 and 18.
Northern Health's school-exposure section explains students should still go to school "if you do not receive a phone call or letter from Public Health," but you're also encouraged to monitor symptoms daily.
Should a student or teacher receive a positive COVID-19 test, Northern Heath's school notification process is as follows:
- 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 Kyle Balzer, PrinceGeorgeMatters
