B.C. COVID update: 43 new cases; five more deaths

British Columbia has 43 new COVID-19 cases and five more deaths in the past day.

It brings the total number of cases to 1,013, and the number of fatalities to 24.

In the Interior Health region there were an additional 30 cases for a total of 107.

There are seven people in hospital in Interior Health.

Four of the new deaths were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and the other in Fraser Health.

The Health Ministry said 507 patients have fully recovered.

There are 128 people in hospital, 61 are in intensive care.

Provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, said there has been a community outbreak among temporary foreign workers at Bylands Nursery in West Kelowna. A number tested positive for COVID-19. They are being effectively quarantined in on-site housing and the business has been closed.

Dr. Henry once again emphasized that the next two weeks will be critical in containing the spread so keeping distance from one another is extremely important.

She said bylaw officers are handling as much enforcement of quarantine orders as possible.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said there is “zero chance” the provincial health orders will be lifted by the end of April, with little to none in May, adding “we’re in to this for a long time.”

Dix thanked and gave support to residents that have had their surgeries postponed by the pandemic and that while the surgeries have been cancelled for the moment, they have not been forgotten and once we get through this, the health system will move with energy, passion and compassion to get them done.

He also thanked the hospital cleaners and the professionals who have volunteered to return to the health care system including 35 doctors and 444 nurses.

Premier John Horgan is set to deliver a statement to the province tonight at 6:15. It’s expected he will offer an update on B.C.’s battle against COVID-19 and will reinforce messages from the provincial health officer about physical distancing, hand washing and other measures to stop its spread.

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The latest COVID-19 numbers from British Columbia’s Health Ministry as of 3 p.m. March 31:

– new cases since Monday: 43

– total of 1,013 confirmed cases

-five more deaths (24 total), four in Vancouver and one in Fraser Health

Of the 1,013 cases:

476 are in Vancouver Coastal Health

348 in Fraser Health

107 in Interior Health

67 Vancouver Island

15 Northern Health

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-15 care homes have had outbreaks, all in Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health reigons

-128 people are hospitalized with 61 in intensive care

-507 people have fully recovered