Wednesday saw continued rise of moderately low cases with the Fraser Health region leading with the most cases. Health Minister Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, announced 34 new cases and four new deaths for a total of 2,087 cases in British Columbia.

By DESJBUZZCanada Staff

VICTORIA – Wednesday saw continued rise of moderately low cases with the Fraser Health region leading with the most cases.

Health Minister Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, announced 34 new cases and four new deaths for a total of 2,087 cases in British Columbia.

"Every health region in British Columbia has patients with COVID-19: 811 are in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 941 are in the Fraser Health region, 120 are in the Island Health region, 169 are in the Interior Health region and 46 are in the Northern Health region,” they said in a joint statement

"We are saddened to report four new COVID-19 related deaths, three in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and one in the Fraser Health region, for a total of 109 deaths in British Columbia. We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones.

"There have been two new long-term care or assisted-living facility outbreaks at the Clayton Heights and Langley Lodge facilities, both in the Fraser Health region. In total, 21 facilities and three acute-care units have active outbreaks, with outbreaks now declared over at 12 care facilities, including Kootenay Street Village in the Interior Health region.

"Public health teams are also providing support to a number of community outbreaks, actively contact tracing those who may be direcly affected and their close contacts.

"As of today, 50 employees have been confirmed positive at Superior Poultry in Coquitlam, and 42 employees are confirmed positive at United Poultry in Vancouver.

"There are also 120 inmates and staff confirmed positive at the Mission Institution federal correctional centre, as well as 12 positive cases of COVID-19 connected to the Kearl Lake plant in Alberta.

"To date, 1,305 people who had tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered.

"Of the total COVID-19 cases, 89 individuals are hospitalized, 35 of those are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.

"We must remember that every day we commit to doing all we can to flatten the COVID-19 curve is one day more that we are keeping our communities, health-care workers, Elders and loved ones safe.

"The public health measures we have today are hard on all of us, and we want to thank you for the immense efforts you continue to make.

"Our province has been shaken by this storm, but British Columbians have shown us that our foundation remains strong."

B.C. COVID-19 Response Update

Cases:

* Total confirmed cases in B.C.: 2,087

* New cases since April 28, 2020: 34

* Hospitalized cases: 89

* Intensive care: 35

* COVID-19 related deaths: 109

* Recovered: 1,305

* Long-term care and assisted-living homes currently affected: 21

* Acute-care unit outbreaks: 3

Confirmed cases by region:

* Vancouver Coastal Health: 811

* Fraser Health: 941

* Island Health: 120

* Interior Health: 169

* Northern Health: 46

New provincial advice and measures:

* Provincial state of emergency is being extended for the third time, to support the extraordinary measures taken by the Province under the Emergency Program Act:

https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020EMBC0022-000783

* Parliamentary secretary's statement on safe spaces for people leaving violence:

https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020FIN0025-000774

* The Provincial Health Officer released a new Order for Industrial Camps on April 23, 2020. This new document assists employers to develop an operational protocol that helps employers implement this order, and other orders, notices, and guidance:

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/covid-19/covid-19-pho-guidance-large-industrial-work-camps.pdf

* High-quality care for animals in B.C.'s shelters, BC SPCA facilities, zoos and aquariums will continue during the COVID-19 response, with funding available to help organizations cover the costs of food and medicine for their animals:

https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020AGRI0016-000776

New federal measures:

* Carla Qualtrough, federal Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, introduced legislation to establish the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), which would provide income support to post-secondary students who lost work opportunities due to COVID-19:

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2020/04/government-of-canada-introduces-legislation-to-support-students-in-need.html

* Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to discuss COVID-19:

https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/readouts/2020/04/29/prime-minister-justin-trudeau-speaks-president-european-commission-ursula

* The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will cross the country to salute Canadians doing their part to fight the spread of COVID-19:

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2020/04/canadian-forces-snowbirds-launch-cross-canada-tour.html