Dr. Bonnie Henry June 8, 2020.

Image Credit: FACEBOOK/BC Government

B.C. is doing well keeping COVID-19 transmission rates low but the province's top doctor reminded residents that it still has to be kept in mind in the days ahead, particularly if travel is on the agenda.

“Remember that when you hit the open roads this summer you aren't leaving COVID-19 behind,” Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, said after announcing that the active number of COVID-19 cases in B.C. has dropped to 183.

Only 29 new cases were recorded from Friday to Sunday, and there were no new deaths.

“We need to be aware of where we're going, whether it's a larger community or a smaller community,” she said.

Before planning trips, she recommended that British Columbians contact the local tourism associations or the chambers of commerce and find out what services are available, and what may still be closed.

“Get a sense of what you need to take with you so that you're not putting an undue burden on, particularly, a small community,” she said.

“We need to be as self-sufficient as possible so that we don't put these burdens on our communities. And we need to remember that the precautions that we take at home should also be taken when we travel.”

Provincial health minister Adrian Dix added that B.C.’s relative success keeping the pandemic at bay isn’t a sign that COVID-19 is under control anywhere else.

“The challenge around the world of COVID-19 continues to be profound, including many of our neighbours,” Dix said.

The COVID-19 caseloads in Washington, California, Arizona, and Oregon have grown in recent days and those are some of B.C. residents' most common destinations.

“This is why we continue to have to be vigilant, particularly at the border, and ensure that we keep transmission low,” he said. “We are going to continue to act in concert with the federal government to do that and it becomes important, even as we make efforts to allow some families to reunite, we have to continue to be vigilant.”

Dix said he wanted to express his appreciation to the people in British Columbia, for all they're doing to keep the virus at bay.

“This week marks the start of week four of our social, surgical and economic renewal,” he said. “In a week we'll complete the second incubation period since the easing of restrictions began on May 19. This pandemic has forced us to change our practices, our routines and our way of thinking.”

But, he said, the reason is to keep safe the vulnerable among us.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 2,659. That includes 107 people in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 1,362, in the Fraser Health region, 130 in the Vancouver Island Health region, 195 people in the Interior Health region, and 664 people in Northern Health region.

Six people are in hospital in critical condition.

There are now 2,309 British Columbians who are now fully recovered from COVID-19.

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News from © iNFOnews, 2020