Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says we’re not through the storm yet as she announced 86 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in B.C. on Monday, bringing the total to 970.
Island Health has 67 confirmed cases.
“This is a critical time for us,” Henry said. Patients will either “trickle” into hospital or there will be “dramatic increases,” she said.
“It’s very hard to know right now,” she said, adding that modelling of the disease suggests that social distancing and other restrictions and orders across the province are making a positive impact but the next couple of weeks will tell the story.
“We are not through the storm yet,” Henry said. “We have not reached our peak. We have more people every day, who are in hospitals and in our intensive care units so we need to continue to do all we can across government, across our health systems, and in our community. Every person needs to do their best.”
Two additional deaths were announced on Monday, both in the Vancouver Coastal health authority. A total of 19 people have died of COVID-19 in B.C.
A man in the Vancouver Coastal Health region is the province’s first COVID-19-related death outside a hospital.
The man died in his residence, and the B.C. Coroners Service confirmed he had COVID-19 following post-mortem testing. The provincial officer said no other information will be shared about the individual.
There are 106 people in hospital, including 60 in intensive-care units. Eight people are in hospital on Vancouver Island.
Of those who have tested positive for COVID-19, almost half have fully recovered and are no longer in isolation, Henry said. That includes more than 70 people who had been in hospital.
“I think that’s really a testament to the importance of people being in hospital at the right time, being ventilated at the right time, if they need it,” Henry said.
There are 19 hospitals in the province designated as COVID-19 hospitals, including Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria.
The province currently has 4,233 hospital beds vacant in preparation for COVID-19 patients and more off-site facilities identified for patients who don’t necessarily need to be in hospital, mainly people waiting to move to care homes.