What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. on May 28, 2020

THE LATEST:

• Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry will give her daily update at 3 p.m. PT.
• To date, 2,558 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in B.C.
• Two more deaths announced for a total of 164 people who have died of the illness.
• 2,153 people have now recovered.
• There are currently 241 active cases of COVID-19.
• As of Thursday, 33 patients were in hospital, including six in intensive care.

In her daily briefing Thursday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Henry announced nine new cases of COVID-19 in B.C.

A total of 2,558 people have now had confirmed cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 164 who died from their illness.

To date, 2,153 people have recovered, leaving 241 active cases across B.C. Of those patients, 33 are in hospital, including six in intensive care.

Meanwhile, B.C. is forging ahead with its efforts to restart the province and manage the economy, while local governments reopen city services bit by bit.

The provincial government on Thursday announced a new job portal in an effort to find thousands of agricultural workers to deal with a major employee shortage created by the pandemic.

Officials said there could be a backlog in local food production if 6,000 to 8,000 positions are not filled. The new portal is an attempt to match potential workers with farmers.

On Wednesday, Premier John Horgan extended B.C.'s state of emergency by another two weeks, making it the longest in the province's history.

At a more local level, TransLink announced it would be increasing capacity on buses, so vehicles will now be at two-thirds capacity before being deemed full. The transit authority stopped loading buses to full capacity in March to avoid crowding on board.

Meanwhile, a number of municipalities in Metro Vancouver, including Vancouver, Surrey, Delta and the Tri-Cities, have announced playgrounds will be reopening in June.

Cases dropping, but physical distancing still critical

After weeks of decline in the numbers of active cases of COVID-19 as well as the hospitalization rate, health officials are asking British Columbians to stick with physical distancing efforts.

It's been a week since some B.C. businesses began restarting operations as the province enters Phase 2 of the pandemic response. In a statement Wednesday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said they should have a better idea of how that's affected the spread of the coronavirus by mid-June.

"Let's continue to take advantage of parks and other activities closer to home and look to increase social interactions only after fully considering the risks to you and your family," the written statement said.

"This slow and thoughtful approach is our 'new normal.' It is grounded in what we know about COVID-19 today and will continue to be adapted as we learn more in the weeks and months ahead."

READ MORE: 

• Your guide to financial help available for people in B.C. affected by the crisis
• How to apply for EI and COVID-19 emergency benefits
• Get the latest advisories, updates and cancellations for B.C.

Top COVID-19 stories today

• ICBC hasn't been holding road tests for two months. Some say the test suspension is putting their careers on hold.

• Why has B.C.'s containment and recovery from COVID-19 been smoother than in Ontario? Epidemiologists say there are likely a number of reasons.

• Businesses in Vancouver's Granville Street Entertainment District are struggling and some have gone under, but there are hopes the neighbourhood can regain its momentum.

• Passenger traffic has plummeted at airports throughout B.C.'s Interior — Kamloops, Kelowna and Prince George's all saw drops of at least 96 per cent in April compared to 2019. 

• B.C. families are urging the province to speed up its plan to reunite family members with loved ones inside long-term care homes. 

• Some popular provincial parks are set to reopen next week, albeit with restrictions in line with Phase 2 of B.C.'s COVID-19 response.

• As the weather warms and people flock to the ocean, some are questioning the safety of Vancouver beaches with lifeguards still sidelined because of COVID-19 concerns.

• The Vancouver Canucks are considering moving a three-week training camp to the United States as managers lose confidence that a Canadian city will be selected as an NHL playoff hub.

What's happening elsewhere in Canada

As of 8:10 a.m. PT on Thursday, Canada had 88,467 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases, with 46,480 considered resolved or recovered. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial health data, regional information and CBC's reporting stood at 6,932.

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.

If you have a COVID-19-related story we should pursue that affects British Columbians, please email us at impact@cbc.ca