B.C. reported 546 new COVID-19 cases Thursday (Jan. 28), according to provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
It’s a grim situation in long-term care with two new outbreaks – at Chilliwack’s Bradley Centre and Concord by the Sea in White Rock. Both reside within the Fraser Health region.
There were 12 deaths reported, with 291 people in hospital, 75 in intensive care.
Of the new cases, 218 were discovered in the Fraser Health region, which has seen a significant decline in infections in the past few weeks. There were 174 new cases in the Vancouver Coastal region, 70 in Interior Health, 51 in Northern Health and 30 on Vancouver Island.
Henry again emphasized the importance of staying close to home and spending time outdoors, instead of travelling.
“This is necessary because we know that COVID-19 can travel with us, and we can just as easily bring it back on our return,” said Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix in a joint statement.
In recent weeks, B.C. has seen an increase in community clusters and exposures in businesses, the ministry stated.
“We remind business owners now is not the time to let things slip. WorkSafeBC and environmental health teams have stepped up inspections and will take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of communities, including shutting a business if required.”
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