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What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for Dec. 16

CBC
·4 min read

THE LATEST:

  • B.C. has administered its first COVID-19 vaccines.

  • 21 new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported on Tuesday.

  • 522 new cases of the disease were also confirmed.

  • There are 9,860 active cases of COVID-19 across the province.

  • 361 patients are in hospital, with 93 in intensive care.

  • B.C. has lifted restrictions on low-intensity indoor group exercise.

  • Fraser Health declared an outbreak at Burnaby Hospital.

  • Canada is expected to receive 168,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine by the end of December.

B.C. health officials announced 522 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and 21 more deaths on the same day the province rolled out its first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The number of active cases across the province rose to 9,860. The number of patients in hospital went up slightly to 361 from 352 last week, with 93 people now in intensive care. Last week, there were 74 people in intensive care.

A total of 668 people have died in B.C. as a result of COVID-19. There have been 43,463 total cases of the disease since the pandemic began.

More than 10,768 people are currently under public health monitoring. To date, 31,866 people who tested positive in B.C. for COVID-19 have recovered.

B.C. health officials will update the province's latest COVID-19 case numbers at 3 p.m. PT.

TransLink says it won't be offering its long-standing free New Year's Eve service as the transit authority makes the change to align with provincial public health orders banning social gatherings and events.

"With restrictions on social gatherings and events, TransLink believes it would be inconsistent with provincial public health orders to offer free transit for this traditional evening of celebration," a statement from the transit service read in part.

TransLink will also not be running extended hours and will instead operate on normal weekday service schedules.

Vancouver's Polar Bear Swim ushering in the new year is set to move online this year, said the city in a statement. Instead, officials suggest participants take a dip in a bathtub or kiddie pool and adjust the temperature to 7 C , the average water temperature of previous polar bear swims.

The paramedic rapid response team deployment to Fort St. James, B.C., last week is ending, according to a statement Wednesday. Emergency Health Services said two extra paramedics and an ambulance will remain in the community until Dec. 24.

First vaccine for B.C.

On Tuesday, Nisha Yunus, a 64-year-old residential care aide, became the first person in the province to be immunized. She received the shot shortly after 1 p.m. PT at an undisclosed vaccination site in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.

Yunus has worked for 41 years as a residential care aide at Vancouver's Mount Saint Joseph Hospital. For that entire period, she has worked on the same unit and floor.

She said in a statement it was an honour and privilege to receive the province's first vaccine. "I am so grateful. It feels like a dream came true," she said.

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What's happening elsewhere in Canada

As of 7:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Canada's COVID-19 case count stood at 475,214, with 73,511 of those cases considered active.

A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial reports, regional health information and CBC's reporting stood at 13,659.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Common symptoms include:

  • Fever.

  • Cough.

  • Tiredness.

  • Shortness of breath.

  • Loss of taste or smell.

  • Headache.

But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.

What should I do if I feel sick?

Use the B.C. Centre for Disease Control's COVID-19 self-assessment tool. Testing is recommended for anyone with symptoms of cold or flu, even if they're mild. People with severe difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, difficulty waking up or other extreme symptoms should call 911.

What can I do to protect myself?

  • Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Keep them clean.

  • Keep your distance from people who are sick.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

  • Wear a mask in indoor public spaces.

More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government's website.