B.C. tallied 131 cases of COVID-19 through the weekend, with just one on Vancouver Island. (BC Government Flickr)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

FROM THE WEEKEND

‘We need to do better collectively:’ active cases in B.C. near 450, one new on Vancouver Island

Aug 10, 2020 | 3:55 PM

NANAIMO — The number of active COVID-19 cases has nearly doubled in the last two weeks as summer gatherings increase.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced 131 new, confirmed cases of COVID-19 across B.C. from the weekend, a reporting period covering three days.

One was on Vancouver Island, brining the total number of cases to 148 in the Island Health region. Three are currently considered active with all recovering at home.

Community transmission continued to be a focus for Dr. Henry during her briefing Monday, particularly among young people.

She said over 1,700 people in all health authorities are self-isolating after potentially being exposed to COVID-19 at social gatherings in July.

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“We need to do better collectively to stop these exposure events from happening,” Dr. Henry said. “Parties and gatherings with young people, many of whom you don’t know, even if there are fewer than 50 people are a concern.”

The number of active cases in B.C. has risen sharply over the last two weeks, with between 240-250 reported in late July. As of Monday, 445 people were confirmed to have COVID-19 and either recovering at home or in hospital.

Dr. Henry said many people are unknowingly spreading the virus while not showing symptoms, making gatherings with many people risky.

“It’s why these precautions we take right now are important for all of us and these next two weeks will again be critical for us…we need to hold our line and bend our curve back down where it belongs,” Dr. Henry said.

No new deaths were recorded over the weekend related to COVID-19 in B.C., marking the tenth consecutive day no deaths related to the virus were announced.

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