While exactly 200 people have died from COVID-19 since the virus that spawned a global pandemic appeared in B.C. in late January, the pace of new deaths has slowed down.
It took 88 days for B.C. to go from recording its first case of the virus on January 28 to 100 deaths on April 25. It then has taken 117 days for the province to get to the 200-death threshold.
Deputy provincial health officer Réka Gustafson said the two new deaths were seniors – by far the hardest hit demographic.
The five deaths so far in August followed:
• 24 in March;
• 87 in April;
• 53 in May;
• 10 in June; and
• 21 in July
B.C. recorded 80 new COVID-19 infections on August 20, bringing the total number of people who have been afflicted to 4,825.
The breakdown of COVID-19 infections by health region is:
• 1,526 in Vancouver Coastal Health (up 38);
• 2,533 in Fraser Health (up 40);
• 159 in Island Health (up one);
• 411 in Interior Health (no change);
• 121 in Northern Health (up one); and
• 75 people who reside outside Canada (no change).
For the first time since July 30, the number of recoveries is outpacing the number of new infections. There were 96 people who have recovered from the disease in the past 24 hours, making the total number of recoveries from the virus at 3,845. That, plus the two deaths, mean that there are now 780 people actively battling COVID-19 in B.C. – down 18 from yesterday.
Of those suffering with the disease, the vast majority are in self-isolation. There are, however, 11 people in hospitals with four of those in intensive care units.
One health facility has an outbreak: New Westminster's Queen's Park Care Centre.
The outbreak at Richmond Lions Manor in Richmond has been declared over, leaving eight active outbreaks at seniors' homes:
•Holy Family Hospital in Vancouver;
•Arbutus Care Centre in Vancouver;
•Czorny Alzheimer Centre in Surrey;
•Dania Home in Burnaby;
•Derby Manor in Burnaby;
•George Derby Centre in Burnaby;
•New Vista Care Home in Burnaby; and
•Maple Ridge Seniors Village in Maple Ridge.
One new community outbreak has been declared at a Loblaws distribution centre at 2755 190th Street in Surrey, where nine people have tested positive, Gustafson said. She added that everyone who was part of an outbreak on Haida Gwaii has recovered.
