Eight new presumptive cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed in BC, according to BC health officials.
“We are announcing eight new cases of COVID-19 for a total of 21 cases in British Columbia,” said Provincial Health Officer Bonnie henry. “The individuals are in the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health regions and were confirmed positive based on BC Centre for Disease Control testing.”
Cases 14, 15, 16, and 17 are “close contacts of case 10,” said Henry. “They are a man in his 20s, a man in his 30s, a woman in her 50s and a woman in her 60s.”
Cases 18 and 19 are a woman in her 50s and a man in his 60s who reside in a single household, and who “recently returned from Iran,” she continued.
“Case 20 is a woman in her 50s who frequently travels to Metro Vancouver from the Seattle, Wash. area,” said Henry. “She is staying with family in the Fraser Health region.”
Finally, case 21 is a woman in her 50s who “resides in the Fraser Health region.” Henry noted the woman “has not recently travelled and has not had any contact with our known contacts to COVID-19.” An investigation into her case is now underway.
The news comes after an announcement from University Canada West (UCW) on Thursday morning that it is temporarily closing all its campuses for the day, as well as Friday and Saturday due to coronavirus concerns – specifically regarding one of its students.
In an email to students that was obtained by Daily Hive, UCW president Brock Dykeman says the university has “received news of a presumptive positive case for COVID-19 and the student is in isolation.”
In response, UCW is “taking proactive steps in closing all UCW campuses” for the next three days.
“We want to assure you that the risk to students, staff, and faculty remains low, but we want to take all possible precautions to ensure the health and safety of our students and faculty,” Dykeman says.