Sophie Gray

Local Journalism Initiative

Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix announced 29 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend.

The new cases break down to include 14 cases recorded between Friday and Saturday, six from Saturday to Sunday, and nine from Sunday to Monday — with 183 active COVID-19 cases in the province as of Monday.

The 29 new cases bring the total number of COVID-19 cases in B.C. up to 2,659. One epidemiologically-linked case was also added to the total (an untested case which is a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19).

Dr. Henry also outlined ways people can safely  travel the province this summer. Buying items like groceries at your home store instead of in small communities can reduce your contacts. Travelling in small groups and applying the same stay at home or isolation rules if you are sick are critical.

“Remember when you hit the open roads this summer, you aren’t leaving COVID behind,” said Dr. Henry.

With campgrounds now open across the province and hotels and resorts eagerly preparing for their hopeful reopening soon, small communities are preparing for an influx of visitors.

Dr. Henry noted that people should consider their destinations and the facilities available when making decisions about where to visit. Many remote or rural communities do not have the facilities to care for an outbreak, while others do. She urged B.C. holiday goers to call the local tourism agencies before travelling to find out about what is open and any specific guideline individual communities may have.

“We need to be aware of where we are going, whether it’s a larger community or a smaller community,” said Dr. Henry. “Get a sense of what you need to take with you, so that you’re not putting an undue burden, particularly on a small community. We need to be as self-sufficient as possible so that we don’t put these burdens on our communities.”

Community spread continues to occur as B.C. moves into the fourth week of phase two. Although outbreaks at healthcare facilities are down to four, a number of community outbreaks are active and ongoing.