Dr. Bonnie Henry announced four new cases on Vancouver Island and 45 in British Columbia on Wednesday, March 18. (CBC)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

UPDATED NUMBERS

Four new cases of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island, daycares to remain open

Mar 18, 2020 | 3:13 PM

NANAIMO — The total number of cases of COVID-19 has reached 231, with 45 new confirmed cases announced on Wednesday, March 18.

The update includes four new cases on Vancouver Island, bringing the total in the Island Health region to 16.

As part of the daily briefing, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry addressed child care centres remaining open despite school and business closures across the province.

“Child care services and daycares must be provided in a safe manner for those families with parents who work in our essential services sector,” Dr. Henry said. “We have not recommended blanket closing of child care services because they are essential services for our parents that work in our essential services.”

Dr. Henry said during her remarks the steps they are taking now are reacting and playing catchup to events and outbreaks up to two weeks prior, with the latest actions designed to limit the spread over the coming two weeks.

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Health minister Adrian Dix stated at the briefing the actions taken by the province to limit spread of the virus were ‘truly breathtaking’.

“We’ve asked people not to travel outside of Canada. We’ve asked people if they travel outside of Canada and return they self-isolate for 14 days,” Dix said. “Mass gatherings have been reduced to 50, we’ve seen decisions made cancelling school classes, bars and restaurants.”

He estimated 17,000 people had been tested for COVID-19, a sharp spike from the 6,225 tests reported by the province on Friday, March 13.

Dix also said close to a million people have taken the self-diagnosis test launched recently by the province, with 774,618 total users recorded at the end of day on Tuesday.

Also Wednesday, public safety minister Mike Farnworth declared a provincial state of emergency in reaction to the growing crisis.

One day prior, Dr. Henry declared a public health emergency which allowed her to act quicker and with less oversight to deal with the outbreak.

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