B.C. announces outbreak at Ridge Meadows Hospital, as COVID-19 cases climb to 1,575

UPDATE: On Friday, April 17, the province issued a revision to its COVID-19 numbers from Thursday, April 16 related to long-term care homes. The copy that follows reflects those changes, with a correction at the bottom.

A coronavirus outbreak of three cases has been confirmed in the acute care unit at Ridge Meadows Hospital, according to the Ministry of Health.

On Thursday, 14 cases of the disease were confirmed across the province, bringing the total to date to 1,575. Another two people have died from infection with the novel coronavirus, for a total of 78 so far.

A total of 120 COVID-19 patients are currently in hospital, including 56 in intensive care. At least 983 people have recovered from their illness.

"As we all continue to maintain safe physical distancing precautions and follow good hand hygiene, it is vital that we show care and compassion for those around us," Dix and Henry said in the written statement.

"Our shared efforts to flatten the curve make a difference. Each day that we hold the line, we are stronger and better for it."

There are outbreaks at 22 care homes or assisted-living facilities including two new ones: Kootenday Street Village in Cranbrook where there is one case and Delta View long-term care facility where there is also a new case.

Meanwhile, the outbreak at Mission Institution continues to grow, with 61 confirmed cases and one death. Fraser Health has also confirmed that a staff member at the North Fraser Pretrial Centre has tested positive for COVID-19.

No new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health region

Thursday's update doesn't include any new cases in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, which to date has accounted for 670 COVID-19 cases. The government release doesn't address the reasons for the lack of new confirmed cases in the region.

But all four long-term care homes that have re-occurences of the novel coronavirus are located in the area covered by Vancouver Coastal Health.

And as CBC reported earlier Thursday, the health authority also hasn't reported any new recoveries from COVID-19 since April 8.

The provincial government and VCH have not responded to questions from CBC News as to why data on recoveries wasn't being published, when they might be published again, and why they didn't announce in a more public fashion that the data was no longer accurate. 

Also on Thursday, the province announced a new public health order that requires agricultural producers in B.C. to implement infection control plans as temporary foreign workers arrive in the province to begin the spring season. Bylaw officers are authorized to review those plans to make sure the measures are appropriate.