Data released October 2 showed that COVID-19 is circulating in B.C. about as much as it ever has, with the province recording 161 new cases in a 24-hour period – the second-highest daily total yet. The record of 165 new cases came on September 17. Almost all new cases are in the Lower Mainland.
The number of tests conducted within a 24-hour period hit an all-time high in the province of 11,862, meaning that the positive-case percentage was 1.35%. That is up from yesterday's 0.75% rate, but well below the 2% level that has recently been breached.
With the surge of new cases, the province has now identified 9,381 infections since the virus first appeared in the province in late January. The new infections outpaced the 118 new recoveries overnight, and pushed up the number of people who are actively battling the virus to 1,302.
The vast majority of those suffering with the virus are self-isolating at home, but 63 people are in hospital, with 16 of those in intensive care units. One person died overnight from the disease, making the province's death toll from the virus 238.
The total number of people who have recovered from COVID-19 is 7,813, while health authorities have lost touch with 28 people who had been infected and may have left the province.
Here is a breakdown of all known infections in B.C. by health region:
• 3,440 in Vancouver Coastal Health (up 80);
• 4,791 in Fraser Health (up 79);
• 209 in Island Health (no change);
• 535 in Interior Health (no change);
• 318 in Northern Health (up one); and
• 88 people who reside outside Canada (up one).
"There has been one new health-care facility outbreak at Surrey Memorial Hospital, and the outbreaks at Yaletown House and Peach Arch Hospital have been declared over," provincial health officer Bonnie Henry and deputy minister of health, Steven Brown, said in a joint statement.
Fraser Health earlier today said that the outbreak at Surrey Memorial Hospital included one patient and one staff member, and that the outbreak is limited to one unit, which is temporarily closed to admissions.
The three active outbreaks at B.C. hospitals are all in the Lower Mainland:
• Surrey Memorial Hospital in Surrey;
• St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver; and
• Delta Hospital in Delta.
Seniors' homes have been particularly hard hit by the virus, with Henry yesterday saying that these facilities have been responsible for 860 of B.C.'s total number of COVID-19 infections, or more than about 9.3%. That included 513 residents and 347 staff being infected, as of yesterday.
There 14 outbreaks at seniors' long-term care or assisted-living facilities are at:
• Haro Park Centre long-term care facility in Vancouver;
• Holy Family Hospital in Vancouver;
• Banfield Pavilion long-term care facility in Vancouver;
• Point Grey Private Hospital long-term care facility in Vancouver;
• Harrison West at Elim Village in Surrey;
• Peace Portal Seniors Village in Surrey;
• Cherington Place long-term care facility in Surrey;
• Evergreen Hamlets long-term care facility in Surrey;
• Thornebridge Gardens in New Westminster;
• KinVillage assisted living facility in Tsawwassen;
• Milieu Children and Family Services Society community-living facility in Courtenay;
• New Vista Care Home long-term care facility in Burnaby;
• George Derby Centre in Burnaby; and
• Rideau Retirement Centre independent living facility in Burnaby.
