29 new COVID-19 cases in B.C.; several new out breaks

VANCOUVER -- Four more people have died from COVID-19 in British Columbia, health officials announced Thursday, bringing the death toll from the coronavirus in the province to 94.

They also announced 29 new test-positive cases of the virus and several new outbreaks, including one at a long-term care facility in the Interior, two in acute care units at Lower Mainland hospitals, and another one at a poultry processing facility in Coquitlam. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix announced the new cases and outbreaks at their daily briefing on the virus Thursday. The update comes after the pair announced 71 new cases of the virus on Wednesday - the largest single-day surge since March.

The number of new cases announced Thursday is more in line with where it had been on Monday and Tuesday, when the province announced fewer than 30 new cases confirmed through testing over the preceding 24-hour periods.

A total of 1,824 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in B.C. Of those, 103 are in hospital and 44 are in intensive care, according to health officials.

The new outbreaks announced Thursday include one at Hawthorne Park long-term care facility in the Interior Health region, the second such outbreak at a home outside the Lower Mainland.

The two acute care outbreaks happened at Ridge Meadows Hospital - where one acute care outbreak had already been announced - and at Lions Gate Hospital.

The poultry processing facility outbreak occurred at Superior Poultry in Coquitlam, which Henry described as a “sister” plant to the United Poultry facility in Vancouver where an outbreak was announced earlier this week. Two people have tested positive for COVID-19 at Superior Poultry, and the total number of positive tests at United Poultry has risen to 29, Henry said.

In more positive news, the provincial health officer said a total of 10 long-term care facility outbreaks that had previously been announced are now considered over. Some 1,092 people who have previously tested positive for the coronavirus are now considered fully recovered, meaning there are 638 active cases of the virus in British Columbia.

Watch an American Sign Language translation of the news conference on the provincial government’s YouTube page.

.