BC health officials announce 3 additional deaths from coronavirus

British Columbia has announced that three more people have passed away due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The three individuals were residents of the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver, which saw an outbreak of cases over the past two weeks.

In total, there have been four Canadians who have passed away as a result of the virus. All of them were residents at this care centre.

There have also been 30 additional cases identified, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in BC to 103.

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British Columbia’s announcement comes shortly after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed that Canada would be closing its borders to most non-citizens and non-permanent residents.

There will be exceptions, such as Canadian citizens’ immediate family, airline workers, travellers with a layover in Canada, and diplomats.

At this time, Trudeau said the measure doesn’t apply to US citizens or to flights coming from Mexico and the Caribbean.

Airline operators will also be required to screen all travellers for symptoms of the virus, and prevent sick people from boarding.

It was also announced that starting Wednesday, only four Canadian airports will be accepting international flights: YVR (Vancouver), YYC (Calgary), YYZ (Toronto), and YUL (Montreal). The federal government has said this measure was coming so border officers could properly screen arrivals for symptoms and make sure travellers know to self-isolate for 14 days.

The travel restrictions won’t apply to exchange and trade, because Canada doesn’t want to interrupt the flow of goods coming to the country, Trudeau said. The country is also committing $10 billion to help Canadian businesses impacted by the pandemic.

With coronavirus on the rise, BC public health authorities are reminding individuals who attend events and large gatherings to monitor their health for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. And if you’re not feeling well, they recommend staying home at this time. Also, due to unexpected cancellations, please check the event you plan to attend is still taking place. Keep up with COVID-19 news here.