B.C. breaks daily COVID-19 record with 717 new cases, reports 11 deaths
Posted November 17, 2020 3:11 pm.
Last Updated November 18, 2020 5:27 am.
VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) — A staggering 717 new COVID-19 infections and 11 deaths were reported over a 24-hour period in B.C.
RELATED: Nine deaths, almost 2,000 new COVID-19 cases in B.C. over weekend
Not only is it another record of daily COVID-19 cases, but more people than ever are in hospital because of the coronavirus, and another long-term care home has been hit with an outbreak.
#BREAKING B.C. breaks daily COVID-19 record with 717 new cases over last 24 hours.
Also 11 new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 310 deaths in British Columbia— Lasia Kretzel (@rhymeswpretzel) November 17, 2020
Travel to and from the Lower Mainland has also led to an increase in cases on Vancouver Island and in the North, according to a release from Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix on Tuesday.
“That is why is it important that we stay local and travel less right now,” reads the release.
RELATED: Op-Ed: B.C.’s Dr. Bonnie Henry on why masks aren’t being mandated
“When we spend time inside with people from outside of our household, our work group or school cohort, the risks increase for everyone. Instead, let’s stay connected virtually and make it a safer winter for all of us.”
Nearly 70 per cent of new COVID-19 cases in the 24-hour period are in the Fraser Health region, where the majority of the province’s infections have been.
BC's #covid19 status Nov 17
-another new case/day record 717
-another week record 4423 (3439 last wk, 2210 wk before)
-another hospitalization record 198
-another LTC outbreak record 45
-ppl isolated down from peak of 12016 but record on Island at 556#bcpoli @NEWS1130 https://t.co/A0ZlBPDsLI pic.twitter.com/Xi2RkU90HT— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) November 17, 2020
Throughout November, more people continued to be admitted to the hospital because of COVID-19, breaking records several times. There are 198 people in hospital because of the virus, the highest yet. Of the patients currently hospitalized, 63 are in intensive care.
RELATED: Abbotsford mom shares details of battle with COVID-19 from hospital
There is another outbreak in health-care at Tsawaayuss-Rainbow Gardens, a care home in the Island Health region.
No new community outbreaks, but #COVID19 is at 7 hospitals and 46 care homes including Tsawaayuss-Rainbow Gardens on Vancouver Island.
New cases/health region:
177 Vancouver Coastal
484 Fraser
16 Island
18 Interior
21 Northern
1 non-resident of Canada#bcpoli @NEWS1130— Marcella Bernardo (@Bernardo1130) November 17, 2020
There weren’t any community outbreaks to report.
Nearly 11,000 people in B.C. are now under public health monitoring because they came in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
Since the start of the pandemic, 310 people have died because of the virus, and 23,661 infections have been confirmed.
“The biggest impact you can make is through the small actions you take every day,” Henry and Dix said.
“Just as we put on our jackets to keep us warm in the rain and snow, so too are our COVID-19 safety layers there to protect all of us. Washing your hands, keeping a safe distance and always wearing a mask in places where you are around people you don’t know – these things make a difference.”
-With files from Liza Yuzda
