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B.C. records 10 new COVID-19 cases, one more death

There have been 174 deaths due to COVID-19 since January in B.C.
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Brooke Blake and Arthur Montgomery work in the Joey Restaurant’s ghost kitchen located in Surrey, B.C., June 19, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. has recorded 10 new COVID-19 cases and one more death since Thursday, according to stats released on Friday afternoon (June 26).

That means B.C. currently has 159 active test-positive cases. Seventeen of those infected are in hospital, five of whom are in intensive care.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 2,878 cases across the province, with 969 cases in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 1,514 in the Fraser Health region, 131 in the Island Health region, 199 in the Interior Health region and 65 in the Northern Health region.

In a joint statement by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix, the pair confirmed that the latest death was of a person in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.

The latest cases come as B.C. looks to Phase Three in its restart plan in the days ahead, which includes a lift on travel restrictions across the province.

On Friday, the First Nations Health Authority announced the latest data on COVID-19 among First Nations people in B.C., showing that communities have fared well in keeping transmission rates low.

Health officials are in-part citing the visitor ban put in place by several First Nations leaders in helping maintain the low number of test positive cases, or 86 First Nations individuals.

ALSO READ: Efforts by B.C. First Nations to keep COVID-19 rates low are working, says health officials

Dix and Henry noted that while the data is encouraging, they recognize that communities have had to put aside important cultural gatherings to maintain safe physical distancing.

“It also reminds us of the resilience that First Nations communities continue to display in the face of hardships,” the statement reads.

“Like all of us, communities need to assess the risks and do what is right for them. A slow and cautious approach has allowed us to flatten the curve and will keep us safe in the months ahead.”


@ashwadhwani
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca

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About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.
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