B.C. Covid update: 223 new cases in B.C.; 18 in Interior Health

Oct 23, 2020 | 3:53 PM Pete McIntyre

COVID-19 cases are on the rise again in the Interior, although they are much lower than the Lower Mainland.

Interior Health (IH) is reporting 18 new cases, up from the 12 Thursday and 8 on Wednesday.

There are now 72 active cases and two people in hospital in the IH region.

Another six members of a French school in Kelowna (Ecole de L’Anse-au-sable) have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to eleven.

About 160 people in the school community remain directed to self-isolate for 14 days.

Provincially there are 223 new cases, including five epi-linked cases, for a total of 12,554 cases.

Of the new cases, 198 are in the Lower Mainland (Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health regions).

There are 2,009 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, 4,637 people who are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases, and 10,247 people who tested positive have recovered.

Currently, 75 individuals are hospitalized, with 24 in intensive care.

There have been no new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 256 deaths.

There have been two new health-care facility outbreaks at Laurel Place and Fair Haven Homes Burnaby Lodge.

There have been two new community outbreaks at Coast Spas Manufacturing and Pace Processing.

Case counts by health region:

Vancouver Coastal 4,319 (+59)
Fraser 6,864 (+139)
Island 250 (+1)
Interior 662 (+18)
Northern 371 (+6)
residents from outside Canada 88