COVID-19 in B.C.: Almost 250 new cases and over 1200 active cases; almost 700 active cases in Interior Health; and more - The Georgia Straight

Both B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry have been speaking at news conferences about the risks and impact of both B.C. wildfires as well as extreme heat conditions upon health across the province.

While the province faces challenges from those issues, the numbers of new and active COVID-19 cases in B.C. continue to climb upward.

Once again, the new case count for the province hit a new high in recent weeks and the number of active cases has risen above 1,200 cases.

In addition, Interior Health, with an outbreak in the Central Okanagan that was declared earlier this week, is nearing 700 active cases.

Today, the B.C. Health Ministry is reporting 243 new COVID-19 cases (including one epi-linked case).

Currently, there are 1,231 active cases, which is a rise of 176 cases since yesterday.

At the moment, 47 individuals with COVID-19 are in hospital (a decrease of four people since yesterday), and 16 of those patients are in intensive care units (four fewer than yesterday).

The new and active cases include:

• 131 new cases in Interior Health, with 693 total active cases (an increase of 93 cases since yesterday);
• 56 new cases in Fraser Health, with 277 total active cases (an increase of 35 cases);
• 32 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, with 160 total active cases (an increase of 21 cases);
• 13 new cases in Island Health, with 65 total active cases (an increase of 14 cases);
• nine new cases in Northern Health, with 28 total active cases (an increase of nine cases);
• two new cases of people from outside of Canada, with eight total active cases (an increase of three cases).

The good news is that no new deaths have been reported. That leaves the overall total COVID-19-related fatalities at 1,771 people who have died during the pandemic.

With 66 recoveries since yesterday, a cumulative total of 146,876 people who tested positive have now recovered.

During the pandemic, B.C. has recorded a cumulative total of 149,889 cases.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix

Province of British Columbia

Yesterday, Island Health announced that the Eagle Ridge immunization clinic would be relocated on July 30 to the air-conditioned Victoria Conference Centre due to the anticipated high temperatures.

Today, Island Health extended the relocation dates to July 31 and August 1.

Since the provincial immunization program began in December, B.C. has administered 6,774,257 doses of Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines.

As of today, 81.1 percent (3,758,385) of eligible people 12 and older have received their first dose and 64.9 percent (3,008,360) have received their second dose.

In addition, 82.0 percent (3,548,137) of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose and 67.5 percent (2,921,008) have received their second dose.

More good news is that none of the five regional health authorities have declared any new healthcare or community outbreaks, and none have listed any new public exposure events or business closures.

Currently, there are two active healthcare outbreaks, both in longterm care facilities: Holyrood Manor (Fraser Health) and Nelson Jubilee Manor (Interior Health).

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COVID-19 in B.C.: Almost 250 new cases and over 1200 active cases; almost 700 active cases in Interior Health; and more - The Georgia Straight
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Obstetrician groups recommend COVID vaccine during pregnancy - Burnaby Now

Two leading obstetricians’ groups on Friday recommended COVID-19 shots for all pregnant women, citing concerns over rising cases and low vaccination rates.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine said vaccinations in tens of thousands of pregnant women over the past several months have shown the shots are safe and effective during pregnancy.

COVID-19 during pregnancy increases risks for severe complications and can also increase chances for preterm birth. U.S. government data show only about 16% of pregnant women have received one or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The two groups had previously said pregnant people shouldn’t be excluded from vaccination but stopped short of endorsing the shots.

The president of the OB-GYN group, Dr. Martin Tucker, said in a statement that doctors should enthusiastically recommend the shots to their patients.

Dr. Emily Miller, obstetrics chief at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said she hopes the new recommendation “will help pregnant people feel more confident in their decision to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.”

Miller is a member of the maternal-fetal medicine group’s COVID-19 task force.

Pregnant women weren’t included in studies that led to emergency authorization of the vaccines. Experts including the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have not discouraged vaccination during pregnancy and have said available safety information is reassuring.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The Associated Press

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Obstetrician groups recommend COVID vaccine during pregnancy - Burnaby Now
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Liberals extend COVID benefits as top doctor warns the Delta variant could cause a fourth wave - durhamregion.com

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1. Liberals extend COVID benefits as top doctor warns the Delta variant could cause a fourth wave  durhamregion.com
2. Canada facing the start of a Delta-driven 4th wave, top doctors warn  Global News
3. Local health experts say mask up, get vaccinated due to delta variant's high-transmission rate  WFAA
4. Canada is heading towards a 'Delta-driven' fourth wave, Tam says  CTV News
5. Delta Variant Will Continue to Drive High Infection Rates  Bloomberg Markets and Finance
6. View Full coverage on Google News

Liberals extend COVID benefits as top doctor warns the Delta variant could cause a fourth wave - durhamregion.com
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Local health experts say mask up, get vaccinated due to delta variant's high-transmission rate - WFAA

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243 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. as surge in Interior continues - CTV News Vancouver

VANCOUVER -- B.C.'s Ministry of Health has announced another 243 cases of COVID-19, most of them in the Interior Health region, where infections have been surging in recent days.

There are currently 1,231 active cases of the coronavirus in the province, and 693 of them are in Interior Health.

Relatively few people are in hospital, however. Forty-seven were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Friday, including 16 people who were in intensive care.

There were no new deaths announced in Friday's update.

The latest numbers pushed B.C.'s rolling seven-day average for daily new infections to 150, and the 243 new cases represent the highest single-day total the province has recorded since late May.

Most of the latest cases - 131 - were recorded in Interior Health, where officials recently declared an outbreak in the Central Okanagan region and re-imposed mandatory mask rules.

Elsewhere in the province, Fraser Health added 56 cases in the latest update, Vancouver Coastal Health added 32, Island Health added 13 and Northern Health added nine. There were also two new cases detected in B.C. among people who normally reside outside Canada.

Since the pandemic began, there have been 149,889 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in B.C. and 1,771 related deaths.

As of Friday, more than 3 million people in B.C. had received a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The province has now administered 6,774,257 doses of vaccines, overall.

That's enough to cover 81.1 per cent of eligible B.C. residents ages 12 and older with at least a first dose. Nearly 65 per cent (64.9 per cent) of people in that age group have received a second dose.

Speaking to reporters during a news conference on the ongoing heat wave Friday, Health Minister Adrian Dix described vaccination as critically important to the province's management of the coronavirus going forward.

"What we continue to see is that, overwhelmingly, our new cases of COVID-19 are amongst unimmunized people, and we have to assist them in getting immunized to the maximum possible degree," Dix said.

Asked whether the focus on immunization reflected an impending shift in the province's strategy similar to that underway in Alberta, Dix was adamant that no such change is forthcoming.

Alberta health officials recently announced that they would no longer be requiring people who test positive for COVID-19 to self-isolate, as of Aug. 16. Close contacts are no longer required to self-isolate as of this week. 

"There is no plan, none, to change our approach to self-isolation with respect to COVID-19 in B.C.," Dix said Friday. "No plans, none, to change our approach to contact tracing. No plans, none, for public health not to be fully engaged, as they've been, in the COVID-19 pandemic."

B.C.'s focus on encouraging as much immunization as possible will continue alongside mitigation efforts such as self-isolation, contact tracing and targeted restrictions like the reinstated mask mandate in the Central Okanagan, Dix said.

He added that blaming people who have not yet been vaccinated for spreading the virus is not helpful. Answering their questions and encouraging them to get their shots is, he said.

"There's a lot of desire, I know, to take an us versus them approach," Dix said. "But this is only us." 

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243 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. as surge in Interior continues - CTV News Vancouver
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BC health officials report 13 new cases in Island Health on Friday, July 30th - Victoria Buzz

The BC Ministry of Health reported 243 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, July 30th.

There have been 149,889 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

New cases were reported in these health regions:

• Vancouver Coastal Health: 32
• Fraser Health: 56
• Island Health: 13
• Interior Health: 131
• Northern Health: 9
• Resident outside Canada: 2

There are currently 1,231 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

146,876 people who tested positive have recovered.

There are now a total of 47 people in hospital due to COVID-19, 16 of whom are in critical care — ICU or acute care units.

There were no reports of deaths from COVID-related causes, making the provincial death toll at 1,771.

Outbreaks

There are currently 2 outbreaks in long-term care (Holyrood Manor in Fraser Health and Nelson Jubilee Manor in Interior Health)

Island Health:

Island Health reported 13 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region and 61 active cases.

Breakdown of cases on Vancouver Island:

• South Vancouver Island  Active cases: 35 │Total Cases: 2032
• Central Vancouver Island Active cases: 24│ Total Cases: 2517
• North Vancouver Island  Active cases: 2│Total Cases: 712

1 person remains in hospital with 0 in ICU. 

There have been no new deaths in the Island Health region today, and a total of 41 deaths on Vancouver Island.

Vaccinations

81.1% of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 64.9% have received their second dose.

In addition, 82.0% of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose and 67.5% have received their second dose.

To date, 6,774,257 (+41,948) doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in BC; 3,008,360 (+36,567) of which are second doses.

See also: Unvaccinated Canadians make up almost 90% of newly reported COVID-19 cases across the country

Some links include:

At the time of this publication, 197,759,934 cases of COVID-19 had been recorded worldwide. 4,219,826 have died, and 178,765,308 have recovered.

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BC health officials report 13 new cases in Island Health on Friday, July 30th - Victoria Buzz
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Federal modelling warns of 4th COVID wave driven by Delta if reopening is too fast – Surrey Now-Leader - Surrey Now Leader

Federal officials are warning that Canada could be on the brink of a fourth wave of COVID-19 driven by the highly contagious Delta variant if the country opens too fast before enough people have been vaccinated.

Canada’s chief public health officer says long-term forecasts indicate that a hasty approach to reopening could portend a sharp resurgence of the virus by the end of the summer.

Dr. Theresa Tam says the new modelling underscores the need for caution in lifting public health measures as early signs of epidemic growth emerge in some areas.

Tam says officials expect that the Delta variant could fuel the spread of the virus among younger unvaccinated people, leading to a serious rise of case counts and hospitalization rates this fall and winter.

Tam says increasing vaccine acceptance among young adults aged 18 to 39 to 80 per cent from 72 per cent could cushion the fallout of a potential fourth wave.

She says current COVID-19 case counts have plummeted by 93 per cent since the peak of the third wave, for an average of 640 new infections being reported daily over the past seven days.

Adina Bresge, The Canadian Press

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Federal modelling warns of 4th COVID wave driven by Delta if reopening is too fast – Surrey Now-Leader - Surrey Now Leader
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