Two new cases of COVID-19 were reported in northern B.C. on Friday.
The total number of cases in the Northern Health region since the beginning of the pandemic rose to 88, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a joint statement released Friday afternoon.
"Today, we are announcing 50 new cases, including five epi-linked cases, for a total of 3,641 cases in British Columbia," the statement said. "There are 278 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 3,168 people who tested positive have recovered. Public health teams continue to support the active outbreaks on Haida Gwaii and at Fraser Valley Packers Inc."
Five COVID-19 patients were hospitalized as of Friday, including two in intensive care.
"There has been one new COVID-19 related death in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, for a total of 195 deaths in British Columbia," the statement said. "We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic."
The number of active cases in the Northern Health region wasn't provided, but on Thursday the B.C. Centre for Disease Control reported 12 active cases in the north, with no one hospitalized from the disease.
A map released by the B.C. CDC shows there has been a total of 36 cases of COVID-19 in the Northern Interior region – which includes Prince George – but none in the past 14 days.
Since the beginning of the outbreak, 10,424 people in the north have been tested for COVID-19, the B.C. CDC reported on Thursday – including between 81 and 164 tests per day done in the past week.
In addition to the two active community outbreaks in the province, public health officials are monitoring outbreaks at two long-term care facilities and one acute-care facility.
The province has released an online 'Good Times Guide', which can be found online here https://goodtimes.gov.bc.ca/. The site has advice on how to socialize and enjoy the summer, without increasing your risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19.
"We can make this B.C. Day holiday weekend one where we find the right balance: having those important social connections with our friends and family, while taking precautions to protect ourselves and those around us," the statement said. "Let's socialize safely by keeping our groups small, using the layers of protection and giving everyone enough space to stay safe, whether at a backyard barbecue, on a friend's boat or enjoying a nearby park."
