Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says there are two new recorded COVID-19 cases in Northern Health for a total of 51.
The provincial total is now 2,224 as the provincial health officer confirmed 53 new cases, after a 48-hour period, in B.C. this afternoon (May 4).
There have been three new deaths in long-term care. The total number of deaths is now 117 and there are now 77 patients in hospital, 20 of whom are in ICU.
Henry says 1,417 cases have recovered in B.C. Henry also reported that there have been no new known outbreaks of the virus in B.C. over the past 48 hours.
"Since we put our control measures in ... in March, we have had a dramatic and sustained decrease in numbers of new cases," Henry said.
There are currently 23 active outbreaks in long-term care and assisted living facilities, which collectively reported 13 new cases since Saturday. In total, 266 residents and 168 staff members at such facilities have tested positive for the virus.
There are now seven positive cases of COVID-19 at Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry, 54 at Superior Poultry Processors Ltd. and 35 at United Poultry Co. Ltd.
"We have deflected our curve. We are coming down nicely. We have the measures in place that we know are working," said Henry, who provided an update on the province's modelling, which charts out various scenarios for B.C. depending on when and how the province re-opens its economy.
Should British Columbians increase their social contact to 40 per cent (with 60 per cent physical distancing), Henry said new cases and hospitalized would be expected to remain relatively low.
"If we go back to December, where we were having lots of gatherings, where people met, where this virus has the opportunity to take off quite rapidly, we could expect to see just that," Henry said of a scenario where social contact increases to 80 per cent.
"Our challenge and our work together is to find that sweet spot. Somewhere around increasing our contacts by at least half, or twice as many as we have now, but without allowing those opportunities for rapidly exponential growth of the virus in our communities."
B.C. Minister of Health Adrian Dix confirmed on Monday that the provincial government will provide an update on what comes next for the province on Wednesday. Last week, Premier John Horgan said B.C. will begin re-opening its economy this week.
The updated totals of confirmed COVID-19 cases in other regional health authorities are as follows:
- Vancouver Coastal Health: 845
- Fraser Health: 1,027
- Vancouver Island Health: 124
- Interior Health: 177
- with files form Hayley Woodin, Business in Vancouver
