Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 58 new cases for Island Health on Monday, Nov. 30, part of over 2,300 cases province-wide. (BC Government)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

record weekend

Island Health records 58 new COVID-19 cases, 46 dead across B.C. over weekend

Nov 30, 2020 | 3:33 PM

NANAIMO — Island Health shattered its record for new cases over a weekend, while B.C. had its deadliest weekend of the pandemic to date.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry confirmed 58 new cases within Island Health, part of 2,364 new cases added to the province’s tally between Friday, Nov. 27 and Monday, Nov. 30. The cases include a data correction of 277 cases in Fraser Health.

The previous regional record was 48 new cases, set Monday, Nov. 23. The health authority had 265 cases at the start of November and finishes the month with 629 total cases.

Active cases across B.C. rose to 8,855 in all health authorities.

Within Island Health, there’s currently 236 active cases. Roughly two thirds continue to be in the central Vancouver Island area, where 141 cases are considered active.

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There are six people in Island Health hospitals. Two people are receiving intensive care.

Throughout the province, 316 people are in hospital with 75 of those patients receiving intensive care.

Dr. Henry also announced a record 46 deaths related to COVID-19 from the weekend, which she called a tragedy.

“If you are thinking it may be ok to bend the rules, please remember this virus takes lives and it is the lives of those who are closest to us that are most at risk when we take risks.”

Of those who lost their lives over the weekend as a result of the virus, 80 per cent were in long term care homes.

A total of 441 people have died from COVID-19 in B.C. throughout the pandemic, including six within Island Health.

Dr. Henry returned to her firm messaging about adhering to the basic principles which have become staples of everyday life.

She said focusing on more than just ourselves is vital to pushing back on COVID-19.

“We are facing a significant storm surge and this is why, right now, we need to come together again. We know there is vaccine on the horizon and that is our goal, what will help us get through the next phase.”

The province said over the coming week there will be a change in data reporting to account for more trends in addition to daily case counts.

Dr. Henry said daily briefing are due to focus more on the rolling seven day average instead of daily snapshots, something she said better illustrates the path of B.C.’s COVID-19 curve.

The data is available on the BC Centre for Disease Control’s dashboard, but was seldom used in daily government briefings.

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