By Canadian Press

B.C. activates pandemic plan, ready to escalate if needed for COVID-19

Mar 6, 2020 | 3:32 PM

VANCOUVER — British Columbia has activated a pandemic co-ordination plan to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak that has sickened 21 people in the province and is prepared to escalate the plan if needed.

Premier John Horgan says he’s appointed a deputy ministers committee to oversee his government’s response and it will report to a cabinet committee co-chaired by him and Health Minister Adrian Dix.

The government says phase one of the pandemic plan is underway and focuses on identifying and containing the disease through strong testing, border surveillance and isolating people who test positive.

It says phase two would accelerate government co-ordination to quickly direct actions and resources and prepare for the use of emergency powers if they become necessary.

Dix says the province is focusing on four key areas: protecting the population, protecting vulnerable citizens, protecting health workers and supporting the health-care system’s capacity.

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Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says of the 21 people who have tested positive for the new coronavirus, four have recovered and only one is in hospital in the intensive care unit but her condition has improved.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 6, 2020.

The Canadian Press