Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer announced on Monday that enhanced restrictions would be extended, alongside the updated data on B.C.’s case numbers.
Dr. Henry said residents should limit social interactions with small numbers or outside visits.
The orders on gatherings and events have been extended to midnight on January 8th, 2021.
There has been just one amendment to the restrictions.
“I am now excepting from the order, drive-thru, drive-in or drop-off events. In some occasions, we have either drive through events for people to look at lights where they do not get out of their cars or to top off, for things like toy drives. As well, we are excepting drive-in and stay events to a maximum of 50 cars, where people must stay in their cars, and they should only be your household,” explained Henry.
All other orders will remain in place for time being, however.
“I understand that, for many of us, this will mean celebrating the coming important holidays in a different and smaller way than we may be used to. We can still be festive, we can still connect with family in a safe, virtual way,” said Henry.
Over the weekend, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control said the Interior Health region has reported 203 new COVID-19 cases since Friday, with a total of 2,020 province-wide.
Breaking down the weekend’s cases further:
- Friday to Saturday: 647.
- Saturday to Sunday: 726.
- Sunday to Monday: 647.
Interior Health region, has 635 active cases as of Monday, December 7th, with 14 hospital patients and four in intensive care.
The health authority has reported a total of 2,265 cases, 1,622 of whom have recovered.
Two more deaths were attributed to COVID-19 in the region, totaling six since the pandemic began.
Provincially, 35 people died from the illness since Friday, with 527 deaths recorded to date.
Across B.C., 27,287 of the 38,152 total cases have since recovered.
The province has, as of Monday, 9,380 active cases, 349 of whom are hospital patients with 77 in the ICU.
Current COVID-19 statistics:
- Mortality rate (deaths to total recoveries):
- Province-wide: 1.93%.
- Interior Health: 0.37%.
- Recovery rate (recoveries to total cases):
- Province-wide: 71.52%.
- Interior Health: 71.61%.
- Tests (total and new):
- Province-wide: 1,235,006 total, 9,192 new (Sunday to Monday).
- Interior Health: 125,811 total, 1,132 new (Sunday to Monday).
- Positive test rate (total and new):
- Province-wide: 3.09% total, 7.04% new (Sunday to Monday).
- Interior Health: 1.8% total, 6.8% new (Sunday to Monday).
More: BCCDC COVID-19 dashboard (BCCDC)