What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. on May 11, 2020
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry will hold her next briefing Tuesday at 3 p.m. PT
THE LATEST:
- British Columbia has recorded a total of 2,353 COVID-19 cases.
- 130 people have died from COVID-19 in the province.
- Of those who have tested positive, 1,719 people have recovered.
- The Vancouver Park Board has extended the closure of its park and beach parking lots.
- Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry will hold a briefing on Tuesday at 3 p.m. PT.
B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Monday there have been 23 new cases of COVID-19 detected in B.C. since Saturday.
In that time, one more person has died.
As of Monday, there were 2,353 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province. So far, 130 people have died and 1,719 people have recovered from the illness.
There are 66 COVID-19 patients in hospital; 18 of them are in intensive care.
Maintain physical distancing
As the province prepares to lift certain restrictions this week, Dr. Bonnie Henry is asking residents to keep up efforts to maintain physical distancing.
She warned that despite her encouragement for people to get outside, people should still stick to their families and keep a safe distance from others.
She also said that British Columbia is developing plans to allow family members to return to long-term care facilities to visit relatives.
But Henry said restrictions on visits must remain in place for the near future to limit the spread of the virus.
The government continues to ask residents to avoid non-essential travel over the B.C.-Alberta border. Travel into Yukon via highways 97 and 37 is limited to essential travel.
Warm weekend and busy beaches
Many families spent the weekend in B.C. celebrating mothers on Mother's Day and the provincial health officer encouraged those visits to take place outside, where the risk of transmitting coronavirus is reduced.
Meanwhile, debate was sparked online about whether busy beaches and parks were too busy, with the Vancouver Park Board encouraging people to go to a venue close to their home, rather than one of the more-crowded destination beaches.
The Vancouver Park Board has decided to extend the closure of parking lots at beaches and parks in the city.
The board says its staff observed large groups gathering on its beaches over the weekend with many failing to practise proper physical distancing.
It says park rangers issued 1,880 warnings.
READ MORE: How B.C. plans to ease COVID-19 restrictions
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Top COVID-19 stories today
- Dr. Bonnie Henry says B.C. is in for an "unusual" summer where connections must expand without letting the virus take hold.
- The province says it has met its two-week deadline to move people in Vancouver from a tent encampment in the Downtown Eastside to more secure housing. Victoria will take longer.
- The family-owned Army & Navy department store chain is closing after more than a century in business.
- Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson says the pandemic could present an opportunity for a forestry revival in B.C.
- A B.C. doctor is sounding the alarm over an uncharacteristic drop in the number of child abuse reports to the province since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Being homebound for weeks at a time isn't exactly fun for anyone — but for teenagers who've suddenly had their friends and social life stripped away by the pandemic, it's been particularly rough.
Important reminders:
Health officials widely agree the most important thing you can do to prevent coronavirus and other illnesses is to wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face.
The World Health Organization said more than 80 per cent of COVID-19 infections are estimated to be mild.
What's happening elsewhere in Canada
As of Sunday, Canada had 68,848 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19. A CBC News tally of COVID-19-related deaths based on provincial figures, regional health data and CBC's reporting listed 4,970 deaths in Canada, with another two abroad.
The numbers are not a complete picture, as they don't account for people who haven't been tested, those being investigated as a potential case and people still waiting for test results.
For a look at what's happening across the country and the world, check the CBC interactive case tracker.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Common symptoms include:
- Fever.
- Cough.
- Tiredness.
But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.
What should I do if I feel sick?
Stay home. Isolate yourself and call your local public health authority or 811. Do not visit an emergency room or urgent care centre to get tested.
Find information about COVID-19 from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
Non-medical information about COVID-19 is available in B.C. from 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. PT, seven days a week at 1-888-COVID19 (1-888-268-4319).
What can I do to protect myself?
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Keep them clean.
- Keep at least two metres away from people who are sick.
- When outside the home, keep two metres away from other people.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Masks won't fully protect you from infection, but can help prevent you from infecting others.
More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government's website.
If you have a COVID-19-related story we should pursue that affects British Columbians, please email us at impact@cbc.ca
With files from The Canadian Press