`SOBERING WEEKEND'

Crackdown on home gatherings

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has ordered any gathering in a home to have no more than six guests and expects all people to wear masks in indoor public spaces, as B.C. endured a “sobering” weekend of COVID-19 infection.

On Monday, Henry reported a record 817 cases, two complete school closures, three deaths and an outbreak at the Surrey Pre-Trial Services Centre over the previous three days.

She said there were now a record 2,325 active cases of the disease in B.C., of which 77 were being treated in hospital including 26 in intensive care.

“This has been a bit of a sobering weekend for us,” said Henry, adding the province was heading into a “very challenging and difficult few months.”

Henry was especially troubled by a surge in cases — mostly in the Fraser Health region — linked to social events around the Thanksgiving long weekend, including weddings, funerals and celebrations of life.

“Many of the cases that we have seen in the last few weeks have been related to these important celebrations where people are getting together with larger numbers of people than can be accommodated safely within their homes,” she said.

As a result, Henry issued a health order Monday banning homeowners and tenants from having more than six guests inside the home at any time, beyond the residential family group.

Banquet halls were ordered closed earlier in the pandemic.

“With COVID in our communities, having large gatherings in our homes is too dangerous,” she said.

“I know for many people this will be a significant challenge, that large community celebrations are part of their culture and their community.

“So we need to take additional precautions for the coming months. That means no Halloween parties.”

“That means we need to focus on small outdoor celebrations and memorials for people's funerals, for burials, for Nov. 11. I think we need to consider all of the celebrations that are coming up, whether it's Diwali or Hanukkah or Christmas.”

Henry said the new order would be backed by increased enforcement, particularly in the Fraser Health region.

“The orders are enforceable by bylaw officers, police officers and environmental health officers in the same way we have had the orders during the summer at rental properties and places. I expect the same processes will be followed.”

Henry also stepped up her advice around mask wearing.

“It's now the expectation that people will wear a non-medical mask in public spaces,” she said.

“So if I'm going to the grocery store, if I'm going to the hardware store, the Costco or on public transit, or I need to go in to renew my driver's licence, those are times we need to wear masks. The expectation is when we go indoors we should all be wearing masks.”

There were 317 cases reported between noon Friday and noon Saturday (the first time a daily case load has cracked 300), 293 between noon Saturday and noon Sunday, and 207 between noon Sunday and noon Monday.

There are now 5,077 people in isolation after being potentially exposed to the disease.

Henry said three deaths had occurred in long-term care facilities in the Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health regions over the weekend and there were four new long-term care outbreaks.

There are now 21 active outbreaks in health care facilities, including 19 in long-term care facilities.

The Point Grey Hospital outbreak, where seven people died, has been declared over.

A fresh outbreak has appeared at the Surrey Pre-Trial Services Centre that houses prisoners awaiting trial.

Two schools have been shuttered for two weeks due to COVID-19. Ecole de l'Anse-au-sable in Kelowna was the first school to report a COVID outbreak — despite there being over 220 COVID exposures reported in B.C. schools — and closed down for two weeks on Monday. So far, 11 staff and students have tested positive.

The other school is Mount Cheam Christian School in Chilliwack, which reported an exposure on Oct. 16.

Henry said she was hopeful that a COVID-19 vaccine would be available early in the new year, but that it would take longer before it becomes widely available.