With B.C. on July 21 reporting 30 new COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours, the volume of new cases remains elevated compared with much of the past month.
The number of new daily cases has risen from being in the single digits to the teens, and the 20s to now consistently be in the 30s. The average number of new daily cases of the coronavirus in the past four days is now 33, following:
• 51 new cases on July 18;
• 19 new cases on July 19;
• 32 new cases on July 20; and
• 30 new cases today.
B.C.'s provincial health officer Bonnie Henry said earlier this month, when one day's count was 25, that she was "distressed," and that this was "way above my comfort zone."
She added yesterday, that on a scale from one to 100, her level of concern about the spreading pandemic is "102."
One of the 30 new cases in B.C. is considered "epi-linked," or essentially a presumed positive infection that has not been confirmed with a test.
The provincial total is now 3,328 cases since January of the virus that has caused a global pandemic.
Of those, more than 86.3% of patients, or 2,873, have recovered. Another 189 have died while 266 people are still battling the disease. No new deaths have been reported in more than a week, or since July 13.
Most of those still fighting infections are self-isolating at home but 15 people are in hospital, with three of those in intensive care units.
The breakdown of all COVID-19 infections by health region is:
• 1,043 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
• 1,731 in Fraser Health;
• 140 in Island Health;
• 291 in Interior Health;
• 69 in Northern Health; and
• 54 people who reside outside Canada.
"There is a data correction in the overall number of total and active cases," Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a joint statement.
There is one active outbreak at a seniors' long-term care home – Holy Family Hospital – as well as two acute care outbreaks: St. Paul's Hospital and Mission Memorial Hospital.
"There are several community exposure events and one active community outbreak," Henry and Dix said in their statement. "Public health teams are actively contact tracing and requesting the assistance of anyone who may have been exposed to monitor themselves closely and follow public health guidance."
