On Nov. 19, B.C. reported 538 new cases of COVID-19, with 6,929 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.  

Currently, 217 people are hospitalized, with 59 of these in intensive care. Recoveries now total 17,207. One more person in the province died, for a total of 321 since the start of the pandemic. 

Eleven of the new cases were in the Northern Health region, which has 74 active and 484 recoveries.  

In the past week (Nov. 13-19), northeast B.C. has had 15 new cases of COVID-19 identified, with 216 found since the start of the pandemic. This is a decrease from the previous week. Overall, there were 39 cases found from Nov. 6 to 19.  

(Courtesy B.C. Centre for Disease Control)

Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, remind British Columbians that they’ve flattened the curve before and can do it again. The individual actions of residents matter. 

On Nov. 7, they issued regional orders to slow the rapid transmission happening in different settings. These are now being expanded across the province.  

“Our focus is to slow the spread over the next one to two incubation periods and protect those who are most at risk. 

“The coming weeks will be the most difficult in our pandemic, but hope is on the horizon. We can protect the ones we love and keep our hospitals, schools and workplaces open if we remain focused on reducing our in-person interactions for now.” 

The new order says that all individuals, places of work and businesses in B.C. must significantly reduce social interactions and travel until Dec. 7. 

This includes: 

  • No social gatherings of any size with anyone other than your household or core bubble. 
  • All events and community-based gatherings as defined in the PHO order – Gatherings and Events (PDF) are suspended. 
  • People who live alone cannot host gatherings. They can continue to see the same one or two people of their core bubble at each other’s homes. 
  • The order does not impact restaurants and bars. Restaurants and bars can continue to operate as long as they have a COVID-19 Safety Plan and employee protocols in place. 
  • Businesses, recreation centres or other organizations that organize or operate high risk indoor group physical activities must suspend certain spin classes, hot yoga, and high intensity interval training (HIIT) 
  • Games, competitions and practices can continue with no spectators and no travel. 
  • Masks are now required for everyone in all public indoor settings and workplaces. People who cannot put on or remove a mask on their own are exempt. 
  • At this time, all non-essential travel should be avoided. This includes travel into and out of B.C. and between regions of the province. 
  • At this time, people travelling to B.C. from another province or territory within Canada should only come for essential reasons. 

More details on the new Public Health Order are online. 

“As we approach the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year, we should remind each other that it is also the day that we begin to turn back toward the light. By pulling together now we can overcome the challenges before us.” 

Watch the full update here: