New cases of COVID-19 were confirmed through B.C. and in the Island Health region on Wednesday. (BC Government Flickr)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

COVID CLIMB

Island COVID-19 cases climb to 170 as active cases drop province-wide

Aug 26, 2020 | 3:18 PM

NANAIMO — After cresting to a record high earlier this week, the number of active COVID-19 cases has dropped below 900.

A total of 62 new cases were confirmed by the province in a statement Wednesday afternoon, including two epi-linked cases which are not considered active.

Two new cases were added to the Island Health totals, taking the total number of cases regionally since the start of the pandemic to 170. The BC Centre for Disease Control will update their data later on Wednesday afternoon to indicate how many within Island Health are active.

Across B.C., the number of cases stands at 5,304 with 896 currently active.

While there remain no confirmed community outbreaks of COVID-19 in the Island Health region, the health authority has posted three possible exposure events.

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All are centred around restaurants in Sidney and Courtenay.

“When health regions issue community exposure alerts, the alerts are specific to the location, date and time of potential exposure. If you or your family may have been exposed, follow the public health advisory. Otherwise, no action is required,” the statement read.

Twenty-one people are currently in hospital for COVID-19, seven of whom are in critical or intensive care.

The province reported no additional deaths due to COVID-19 had occurred.

School districts across British Columbia unveiled their return to school plans on Wednesday, the next major milestone in a return to pre-COVID life.

Those in elementary schools will be in study groups of no more than 60, which includes staff. The number allowed in a cohort increases to 120 for secondary schools, a new standard across all of B.C.

Schedule changes, increased signage and cleaning are among the changes for students returning in September.

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