Dr. Bonnie Henry announced 30 new cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in B.C. in the last 24 hours, as the province aims to reduce community transmission through the renting of boats and accommodations. (BC Government Flickr)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

MORE CASES

New health order coming to limit COVID-19 spread in rental properties, one new Island case

Jul 23, 2020 | 12:53 PM

NANAIMO — A new public health order is coming from the provincial government seeking to limit the spread of COVID-19 in rental properties.

Dr. Bonnie Henry said she will make the announcement shortly requiring rental agreements of boats, rooms, Airbnb properties and houses to limit the number of guests and visitors.

It comes in the wake of a mini-surge of COVID-19 cases in B.C. and a sizeable number of currently active cases being the result of community transmission.

The province confirmed 30 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. on Thursday, including one on Vancouver Island. One of the new cases in B.C. is considered epi-linked and not active.

It brings the number of active cases in the Island Health region to nine, with 304 across the province.

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Many of the cases detected in the past week have stemmed from parties and large gatherings in the central and south Okanagan.

Dr. Henry said over 1,000 people are currently self-isolating at home across B.C. after being exposed around Canada Day.

She said it’s inevitable some will develop symptoms of the virus in the coming days.

“As we know, this virus can be a stealth virus. We have seen it move around our province sometimes silently with far reaching impacts and serious consequences,” Dr. Henry said. “Being around crowds of people, especially people you don’t know, puts you, your family and your friends at risk.”

Dr. Henry also added to her revised health orders, announced Wednesday, July 22 regarding restaurants and dance floors.

She said restaurants are now permitted to have no more than six people per table, a number which limits risk and serves as a good guide for other gatherings such as going to a park or beach.

“Keep your groups small, that is what is going to prevent transmission to more of us in our communities right now,” Dr. Henry said.

One additional fatality related to COVID-19 was announced Thursday, bringing the provincial death toll to 190.

It ends a more than week-long streak of no COVID-19 related fatalities.

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