Restrictions put on B.C. bars and nightclubs with Covid cases on rise

B.C.’s Covid case count has jumped by 34 cases since Tuesday, including 13 new cases in Interior Health.

It raises the provincial case total to 3,362, with 285 active cases, and 17 of those cases in hospital and 3 in ICU or critical care.

“The B.C. Covid 19 curve is trending in a direction we do not want to go, and that is upwards, and we all have to take a step back and do the things we need to do to bend the curve back down where we need to keep it,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer.

There are no new deaths, (still 189) which has been the case for over a week.

The recent increase has led to Dr. Henry announcing new restrictions for bars and nightclubs to make them safer and to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

That includes all patrons having to use a designated seat (no moving around), no liquor self-service or dance floors and measures to reduce lineups and gatherings

“We are not going to go back to things we had to do earlier this year, but in order to keep going forward, we need to go back to safe social interactions. We need to play safe to stay safe,” Henry told Wednesday’s health update.

There will also be changes to rules around events, and Henry said the details of that will be posted online shortly.

There are no new community outbreaks and Interior Health said there are almost 80 cases associated with the Kelowna exposures earlier this month, which is the same number given out to media Tuesday.

“As a direct result of the recent community exposures in Kelowna, there are now close to 1,000 British Columbians in every health authority who are self isolating at home because they have been exposed to somebody who has been positive for this virus. This means these people are unable to work, see friends or leave their homes to enjoy the summer like the rest of us,” stated Henry.

Henry said health officials are talking with Interior Health on restrictions to gatherings that are slightly different for the Central Okanagan to address the current issues.

She says it would likely focus on the number of people in gatherings which she says may be prudent given the number of people that travel to Kelowna.

Case totals:

1,049 Vancouver Coastal Health Region

1,742 Fraser Health

141 Vancouver Island

304 Interior Health (13 new)

69 Northern Health

57 people outside of Canada

2,888 people have fully recovered