BC health officials to provide COVID-19 update after new record-high in cases

Health officials in British Columbia are scheduled to provide a COVID-19 written update on Friday afternoon following a new one-day record-high in cases.

1,130 new cases of coronavirus were reported in the province on Thursday, accounting for a two-day reporting period. From Tuesday to Wednesday, 536 new cases were documented. From Wednesday to Thursday, there were 594 cases, setting a new one-day record high.

Health officials also shared updated epidemiological modelling, which showed a number of “highly concerning trends.”

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“The latest data shows some highly concerning trends that we all need to pay attention to,” said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry during a press conference. “As we have seen in many parts of Canada and the world, here in BC, the rate of transmission has risen rapidly in the past few weeks.”

This rate of increase “puts all of us at risk,” she added. “Without a slowdown, it will make it difficult to manage and contain the virus in our province.”

Henry also noted new modelling shows that BC’s coronavirus infection numbers are doubling once almost every 13 days.

One positive that was presented during the modelling presentation, however, was how measures in place within schools “are working.”

“Most school-aged children with symptoms, again, continue not to have COVID-19, which is good news.”

With files from Eric Zimmer