Dr. Bonnie Henry
Image Credit: FACEBOOK/BC Government
May 30, 2020 - 1:32 PM
One COVID-19 incubation period has passed since B.C.'s economic restart and today there were no disease-related deaths and only 11 new infections.
The numbers are reassuring, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said at a media briefing today May 30, but she wants people to remember that doesn’t mean everything is back to normal.
“Large gatherings, we know, are still a significant risk for transmission of COVID-19,” Dr Henry said.
“This is because the more people you are around the higher likelihood that somebody, generally inadvertently or without realizing it, may have this virus. It is still in our communities, though at a very low level.”
That means British Columbians need to adhere to the few faces and bigger spaces, way of life.
“We have seen across this country, in the last week, where not adhering to this has led to outbreaks.”
In Saskatoon, where there was a large gathering, a person inadvertently brought in the virus and it spread, despite the event being outside.
In New Brunswick, she said, they’ve also seen a single person bring COVID-19 back into a community, and it had devastating effects.
“We know that a family get together, a workplace meeting or religious service — these still remain high risks, and that is the reason why we still have our limit on gatherings at 50,” she said.
“That includes the need to adhere to our physical distancing, keeping those safe distances between us, to make sure that we don't give this virus a chance to return. We don't want to put aside the sacrifices we have all made in the last few months, and undo the progress that we have made.
To keep COVID-19 at bay, Dr. Henry said to move slowly with thoughtful consideration.
“Let's keep our curve flat at schools, work, friends and family. Let's all do our part, together, as we have been doing,” she said.
“We will make it through this with keeping ourselves together and making sure that we stay kind, and we stay calm and we will be safe.”
There were 11 new COVID-19 diagnoses this week, raising the total since the beginning of the pandemic to 2,573.
That includes 902 people in the Vancouver Coastal Health area, 1,285 people in the Fraser health area, 127 people on Vancouver Island Health 195 people in the Interior Health region, and 64 people in Northern Health.
B.C. now has 228 active cases in the province of those 35 people are in hospital five are in critical care ICU. Dr. Henry said no new deaths in the last 24 hours is very positive news.
B.C. has 2,181 people who have fully recovered from COVID-19.
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