B.C. Coronavirus update March 14; second case in Interior Health region

British Columbia has nine new cases of Covid-19, including a second case in the Interior Health region.

Seven of the other new coronavirus cases are in Vancouver Coastal and the other is in the Fraser Valley.

It brings the provincial total to 73.

The actual location of the presumptive, but expected to be confirmed, Interior Health case, or any of the cases, is not released by the province.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the case is related to travel to a number of places, and most recently Portugal.

The first case in Interior Health was a woman in her 30s announced on Feb. 14.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says there are now cases in all five B.C. health regions with two people earlier identified in the Vancouver region have returned to their homes in the Northern Health region and are self-isolating.

Henry told the Saturday (March 14) news conference the focus of coronavirus testing is on health care workers, and people in hospitals and long-term care homes.

“People with mild or no symptoms don’t need testing even if returning from a trip outside the country. We want to make sure testing is available for all who do need it. We need to focus on clusters and locations where there have been transmissions,” said Henry.

Dix urged people not to visit care homes, or even their parents or grandparents, if you are sick. He suggests people can instead phone or Facetime those people to keep them from feeling isolated.

A main area of concern in B.C is the Lynn Valley care home in North Vancouver where Henry said four residents and 12 staff have tested positive for the virus, one of which died earlier this month, a man in his 80s who was Canada’s first and only fatal case to this point.

Henry also asked residents to “be measured” in the purchase of groceries and other basic necessities.

“We’ve been reassured by our retailers that our supply chains are strong and that they are restocking the shelves and that we don’t have an issue with not having enough supply. I want to assure everybody the supply is there and we need to be measured in our approach — and get what we need — but not to hoard and not to have anxiety-provoked purchasing. There is no need for that right now.,Henry stated.

Henry said anyone coming back into B.C. from other countries will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days.