Photo: Government of B.C. Flickr
Lyonel Doherty
Aberdeen Publishing
The province’s top doctor sincerely hopes that young people don’t have a false sense of security during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Young people are not immune to this,” she said at Monday’s daily update from Victoria.
She cited one case where a 20-something individual in Alberta died from the virus — and a man in his 40s is the latest casualty in B.C.
While most COVID-19 deaths in B.C. have involved people in long-term care facilities, these latest deaths have “shown us that even younger people are not immune to the serious effects of COVID-19,” Henry said.
In her report, she noted there were 26 new cases of the virus from April 4 to April 5, with an additional 37 April 6, for a total of 63 new cases over the weekend. This brings the total to 1,266 in B.C., including 128 in the Interior Health region.
Henry said there are now 210 cases (21 outbreaks) associated to long-term care facilities, all in the Fraser and Vancouver health regions.
She reported a total of 140 people in hospital, including 72 in critical care.
The one additional death involved a man in his 40s who died at home.
But the good news is that 783 people have fully recovered from the disease, she pointed out.
However, Henry stated there is another outbreak in a federal correctional centre in Mission where two inmates have tested positive. Last week it was reported that one inmate at Okanagan Correctional Centre near Oliver contracted the virus.
Henry said people must be steadfast in their commitment to “hold the line” on COVID-19 because the province continues to see clusters and outbreaks that can escalate very quickly.
Although the percentage of new cases is slowing down, Henry said, people need to keep their “firewall” strong to break the chain of transmission.
The health officer encouraged people to be kind to those who have to work during the pandemic, and to recognize their own anxieties. Talk to your physician (virtually) and think of ways to reduce the stress. She recommended visiting websites such as www.anxietycanada.com and bouncebackbc.ca.
“Be kind, be calm and be safe,” Henry said.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said the province continues to see success securing some supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE). He noted the province now has 620 ventilators that have been distributed, and a significant number of surgical masks have been secured. The COVID-19 “curve” has flattened in some areas, Dix said, but “we simply cannot let up now.”
During question period, a member of the media asked Henry what she thought about families removing their loved ones from long-term care facilities.
The doctor said they are doing everything they can to make these facilities as safe as possible.
“Now is not the time to disrupt people’s lives in that way.”
Another question focused on the change in attitude on the usefulness of non-medical masks being worn by people in the community.
Henry said they have reviewed evidence around the world and have decided that cloth masks are a “permissive” use but not a recommendation. She noted they are not an alternative to measures such as hand washing and social distancing. (She stated the virus “can’t jump six feet.”)
Henry said that hand-made cloth masks (for the short term) can protect others from your droplets but they can’t protect you from infection. She likened these masks as providing similar protection as coughing into your sleeve or a tissue.
Henry was asked how many health care workers have been taken out of service due to burnout.
She responded that the vast majority of workers are those in long-term care, noting not a lot of hospital workers are affected by the virus.
“It has not been an issue in acute care hospitals or IC units (because of the good job B.C. is doing).”
Why is B.C. doing better at flattening the curve than other areas?
Henry said part of the answer is “luck” while the other part is B.C. took a lot of measures early on to stop the spread.
