BC health officials report 27 new coronavirus cases, three more deaths

British Columbia health officials announced 27 new test-positive coronavirus cases and three more deaths on Tuesday afternoon.

During a press conference, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the total number of recorded cases in the province now sits at 1,517, and the total number of deaths now sits at 72.

Broken down by health region, Henry said there are 658 cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, 601 in Fraser Health, 89 on Vancouver Island, 141 in Interior Health, and 28 in Northern Health.

The number of long-term care homes in the province with a patient or member of staff who has tested positive is at 21.

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Out of the total number of cases, 134 people are in hospital, with 58 of those in intensive care; 942 people have fully recovered and are out of isolation.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the federal government will begin implementing stronger quarantine measures for those arriving from abroad.

Effective at midnight on Tuesday, the prime minister said that anyone returning to Canada who is asymptomatic will have to have a “credible quarantine plan” or they will be required to quarantine in a hotel for 14 days.

This follows BC, which instituted its own legislation on April 8 requiring returning travellers to have a self-isolation plan in place.

The new measures will be updated to the current Quarantine Act, which came into effect on March 25.

During his regular address at Rideau Cottage, Trudeau also said that four planes worth of N95 masks arrived over the weekend, and the new PPEs (personal protective equipment) will be shipped to provinces and territories as soon as possible.