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Long weekend sees jump in cases, but ‘not unexpected’

By Hannah Scott, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Published 4:21 PDT, Tue August 4, 2020

Last Updated: 2:13 PDT, Wed May 12, 2021

BC recorded nearly 150 new cases of COVID-19 over the long weekend.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said from Friday to Saturday there were 43 new cases, from Saturday to Sunday a further 29, from Sunday to Monday a further 46 and since Monday a further 28 new cases.

Four of the new cases are epi-linked, which means that public health investigations have shown that cases meet the case definition for COVID-19 but may not have been tested for a number of reasons. The total number of cases in BC is now 3,787.

There were no new deaths over the weekend, but the Fraser Health region is experiencing a new healthcare outbreak. Another healthcare outbreak was declared over, leaving three active outbreaks all in longterm care or assisted living.

Eight people are currently hospitalized, four of whom are in critical care or ICU. This number peaked at 149 in early April—with 72 of those in critical care—said Health Minister Adrian Dix.

Community exposure events continue to occur across the province. Henry said many transmissions are still linked to private gatherings or small parties over the last several months, and there have also been a number of exposures in workplaces.

Cases that can be connected to known events or incidents, including overlapping social circles, are easier for public health to track. Henry and Dix urged people to stay safe for the rest of the summer, keeping groups small and taking precautions around close contact with others.

“We need to make sure that these cases don’t result in a dramatic uptick once again,” said Henry. “Let’s make sure each day for the rest of this summer we all play safe and stay safe and take the necessary precautions that we know will protect everyone in BC.”

For a listing of community exposure events, click here.

For the latest medical updates, including case counts, prevention, risks and testing, visit: http://www.bccdc.ca/ or follow @CDCofBC on Twitter.

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