B.C. records one of the worst days for COVID-19 deaths | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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B.C. records one of the worst days for COVID-19 deaths

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry
Image Credit: SUBMITTED / Province of B.C.

Public health officials say 28 people have died from COVID-19 in B.C. in the past 24 hours.

The grim news was delivered by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry at a news conference in Victoria today, Dec. 10.

“Today is one of the most tragic days we’ve had yet,” Dr. Henry said. “All but two are elders and seniors who were in long term care homes in various places across B.C.”

That brought B.C.’s death toll to 587.

Dr. Henry reminded residents there is hope, referring to the COVID-19 immunization program that will be starting next week calling in an encouraging milestone in the response to the pandemic in B.C.

“We are not yet through this storm. We continue to have new cases and even in the last 24 hours people have lost parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends," she said. “We still have a long way to go before we can have the confidence that our communities are all safe and protected from this virus,"

She said we don't want to fall back just as the province is pushing forward in the final leg of what has been a "gruelling and long challenge." 

Dr. Henry is asking people to work together to follow the provincial health orders to reduce contacts with others and to use layers of protection all the time.

"It is when we are tired when we may stumble and now when we have a finish line that is in sight, we need to pace ourselves and need to continue working together."

There were 723 new cases in the province in the last 24 hours, including 82 in the Interior Health region, which brings the provincial total to 40,060 cases.

Of the new cases, 456 were in the Fraser Health region, 135 in the Vancouver Coastal region, 10 in the Vancouver Island Health region and 40 in the Northern Health region.

There are 346 people in hospital, of which 83 are in intensive care.


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