The Village of McBride is asking visitors to stay away from the community after noticing an influx of out-of-town snowmobile and nature enthusiasts.
Because it is home to a large percentage of seniors and lacks a major medical centre, the coronavirus pandemic could pose big trouble for the village 220 kilometres east of Prince George.
"We are a highway community and we saw this past weekend many out-of-town-visitors," Mayor Gene Runtz said in a statement issued Monday.
"We really need people to stay home, to not visit friends and family here. It is time for everyone to do their part to protect each other. The simplest thing you can do to keep McBride safe is stay away for now."
McBride's Snowmobile Club will not be grooming local trails in an effort to discourage visitors while the village's council is encouraging residents to social distancing or to self-isolate during this crisis.
Residents can find more information about the provincial emergency response, social distancing and COVID-19 facts at www.gov.bc.ca/covid19 or by calling 1-888-COVID19 (1-888-268-4319).
Residents can also find information from the BC Centre for Disease Control at www.bccdc.ca.
