British Columbia posted more than 600 new COVID-19 cases for the first time on Friday, with just 16 within Island Health. (BC Government)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

NEW RECORD

B.C. posts another single-day record, Island Health records 16 new cases

Nov 13, 2020 | 3:30 PM

NANAIMO — For the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic, British Columbia has posted more than 600 cases in a single day.

A total of 617 new cases were confirmed in a joint statement from the province and public health on Friday, Nov. 13. The number of total COVID-19 cases in B.C. is now 20,985 since the start of the pandemic.

Island Health posted 16 new cases for the second consecutive day for a total of 340. The number of active cases rose to 67 in the health authority. Two people are hospitalized, both receiving intensive care.

Across B.C. 5,579 cases are currently active in all health authorities, a decrease of 214 from Thursday, Nov. 12. The number of people province-wide in hospital increased to 167 with 50 of those patients receiving intensive care.

Two people passed away in the province over the last 24 hours, with now 290 people having lost their life to the virus.

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Cases in Island Health were bolstered by a five-person outbreak at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Contact tracing and further testing of over 100 people on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 13 found no additional cases.

Island Health told NanaimoNewsNOW the hospital remains safe to visit for either emergencies or scheduled appointments. A spokesperson for the health authority added no other area of the hospital, including oncology, emergency or medical imaging is impacted by the outbreak.

Island Health has also declared two Nanaimo secondary schools, Dover Bay and John Barsby, as cluster sites after multiple cases and exposure events in the last week.

In the statement, the province urged continued adherence to public health orders and guidelines amid the second wave of COVID-19.

“When faced with a resurgence of COVID-19, it can be difficult to muster the strength to keep moving forward, yet British Columbians continue to show unwavering resilience and fortitude to support friends and neighbours in our communities and take care of those who are most at risk.”

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