B.C. recorded 16 more COVID-19-related deaths overnight, for a total of 543 since the first such death was recorded on March 9. Deaths have stayed consistently high throughout December, with 102 deaths recorded in the month's first eight days.
The good news is that many metrics used to track the extent of the virus, which has caused a global pandemic, are on the decline.
There were 566 new cases identified across the province in the past day. That is down from 647 yesterday, and 726 the day before that. B.C.'s record for new infections in a 24-hour period is 911, set on November 27.
In total, 38,718 people have contracted COVID-19 in B.C. since the first case was detected on January 28.
The number of people actively suffering with infections has fallen by 65 people, to 9,315, from a record 9,380 people yesterday. The vast majority of those people have been asked to self-isolate at home, while 352 are in hospital, with 74 of those individuals in intensive care units. Yesterday, there were a record 359 people in hospital, so the latest figures show at least some decline.
More than 72% of all of those infected so far in the province, or 27,897 people have recovered. That leaves 963 people unaccounted for, with health officials telling BIV that the most likely explanation is that they left the province without alerting authorities on their status.
Fraser Health remains the hot spot for new infections, and here is a breakdown of the new cases by health region:
• 136 (24%) in Vancouver Coastal Health;
• 297 (52.4%) in Fraser Health;
• 11 (1.9%) in Island Health;
• 74 (13%) in Interior Health; and
• 48 (8.5%) in Northern Health.
"We have had no new health-care facility or community outbreaks," provincial health officer Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a joint statement.
"While we have seen the start of encouraging trends in our COVID-19 curve, the number of new cases and people with serious illness requiring care in hospital remains high. This is why the public health orders and restrictions remain in place and why we must continue to stay local and keep to our households through the holiday season."
There are eight hospitals in the province with active outbreaks:
• University Hospital of Northern B.C. in Prince George.
• West Coast General Hospital in Port Alberni;
• Saanich Peninsula Hospital in Saanichton;
• Burnaby Hospital in Burnaby;
• Langley Memorial Hospital in Langley;
• Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver;
• Richmond Hospital in Richmond; and
• Surrey Memorial Hospital in Surrey.
In total, there are 58 seniors' living facilities that have active outbreaks, and below is a full breakdown by health region.
There are 14 active outbreaks at seniors' facilities in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, and they include:
• Arbutus Care Centre in Vancouver;
• Banfield Pavilion, in Vancouver;
• Revera Capilano Care Centre in West Vancouver;
• Columbus Residence in Vancouver;
• Crofton Manor in Vancouver;
• German Canadian Care Home in Vancouver;
• Little Mountain Place in Vancouver;
• Renfrew Care Centre in Vancouver;
• Royal Arch Masonic Home long-term care facility in Vancouver;
• Royal Ascot Care Centre in Vancouver;
• St. Judes Anglican Home in Vancouver;
• Three Links Care Centre long-term care facility in Vancouver;
• Villa Cathay Care Home in Vancouver; and
• Windermere Care Centre in Vancouver.
The 35 outbreaks at seniors' facilities in the ​Fraser Health region now include:
• Agassiz Seniors Community in Agassiz;
• Agecare Harmony Court Estates in Burnaby;
• Agecare Court Estates in Burnaby;
• Al Hogg Pavilion in White Rock;
• Amenida Seniors Community in Surrey;
• Amica White Rock in White Rock;
• Baillie House long-term care home in Maple Ridge;
• Belvedere Care Centre in Coquitlam;
• Bradley Centre in Chilliwack;
• CareLife Fleetwood in Surrey;
• Chartwell Langley Gardens in Langley;
• Chilliwack Lifestyles in Chilliwack;
• Fellburn Care Centre long-term care facility in Burnaby;
• Finnish Manor in Burnaby;
• Fleetwood Villa Retirement Residence in Surrey;
• Fort Langley Seniors Community in Fort Langley;
• George Derby Centre in Burnaby;
• Good Samaritan Delta View Care Centre 2 long-term care facility in Delta;
• Harrison Pointe retirement home in Langley;
• Harrison at Elim Village in Surrey;
• Hollyrood Manor long-term care home in Maple Ridge;
• Lakeshore Care Centre in Coquitlam;
• Langley Gardens in Langley;
• Laurel Place long-term care facility in Surrey;
• Menno Home in Abbotsford;
• Morgan Place Care Society in Surrey;
• Northcrest Care Centre in Delta;
• Peace Arch Hospital Foundation Lodge in Surrey;
• PICS Assisted Living in Surrey;
• Queen's Park Care Centre in New Westminster;
• Royal City Manor in New Westminster;
• Tabor Home in Abbotsford;
• The Residence at Clayton Heights in Surrey;
• The Residence in Mission; and
• White Rock Senior Village in White Rock.
There are three outbreaks at seniors' homes in Northern Health:
• North Peace Seniors Housing Society buildings in Fort St. John;
• Rotary Manor Dawson Creek in Dawson Creek; and
• Gateway House long-term care home in Prince George.
Two outbreaks are at seniors' living facilities in the Island Health region: Tsawaayuss-Rainbow Gardens in Port Alberni and Veterans Memorial Lodge at Broadmead in Victoria.
The Interior Health region has four seniors' facility outbreaks, at:
• McKinney Place Residential Care Facility in Oliver;
• Mountainview Village in Kelowna;
• Sun Pointe Village in Kelowna; and
• Village by the Station in Penticton.
