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Vancouver Island cases of COVID-19 reach 30, dining in restaurants now banned

Mar 20, 2020 | 8:07 AM

NANAIMO — The total number of COVID-19 cases on Vancouver Island has reach 30, with eight new cases announced by the province on Friday, March 20.

It brings the total of confirmed cases in British Columbia to 348 people. 22 people have been hospitalized as a result of the virus, all in the Vancouver or Fraser Valley regions.

Ten people are in intensive care, with six confirmed recoveries from COVID-19.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer focused on healthcare workers and their efforts to combat the virus during her daily briefing.

“I know how challenging it is when we are dealing with a new virus, a virus particuarly one for which we have no cure, we have no vaccine, we have no way of preventing it,” Dr. Henry said.

Earlier, the City of Parksville announced the closure of all playgrounds within city limits. As of Friday afternoon, the City of Nanaimo had not made a similar closure.

On Thursday, March 19, Island Health announced a series of possible exposures to COVID-19 in Saanich and at the University of Victoria campus. On the same day, the 7-11 in Ladysmith closed following a confirmed COVID-19 case linked to the store.

Dr. Henry advanced her provincial order about social distancing, saying restaurants in B.C. are no longer able to offer dine-in services. Take-out and delivery are now the only options available if all restaurants fall inline with the provincial order.

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