Via CBC News: Luck and early preparation flattening B.C.'s COVID-19 curve, but officials urge residents to 'not let up'. Excerpt:
B.C.'s provincial health officer announced 63 new coronavirus cases in the province on Monday, bringing the total number of identified cases to 1,266.
The update reflects two 24-hour time periods, with 26 new cases recorded between Saturday and Sunday, and 37 new cases recorded between Sunday and Monday.
One more person has died, said Dr. Bonnie Henry, bringing the total number of dead from the virus to 39. There are currently 140 people in hospital in B.C., with 72 people in intensive care.
Henry said that B.C.'s curve, which appears to be flattening in comparison to provinces like Ontario and Quebec, is tentatively on the right track, thanks to luck, timing, and measures implemented early on.
"We were one of the first provinces to have cases. We spent a lot of time doing wide testing. Some parts of it are luck, some parts of it are being prepared," she said.
But Health Minister Adrian Dix urged that with a number of religious holidays coming up, it's key that people remain diligent with physical distancing.
"We have to be 100 per cent all in. We say it on a regular basis … but we simply cannot let up now," he said.
Hotspots could challenge response
Henry said 210 cases are linked to outbreaks in long-term care homes. Three of the outbreaks have been declared over, meaning there have been no new cases over two successive incubation periods.
There is also a third outbreak in a federal correctional facility.
"These hotspots are concerning. They can quickly challenge our response," said Henry. "We must be steadfast in holding the line."
B.C. currently has 620 ventilators distributed across the province, with 55 additional ventilators acquired from the federal supply.
Dix said the province has received a "small supply" of personal protective equipment from a new supplier, and that it is currently undergoing testing.
