This weekend is Easter long weekend but officials are urging BC residents to stay at home and avoid any non essential travel.
Thursday was the highest single-day case count for BC since the pandemic started at 1,013 new infections. It is the first time that BC has passed the 1000 mark for daily new cases.
Health Minister Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry stated:
“The risk for all of us is too great, which means any of our usual travel and holiday weekend gatherings need to be put on hold this year.”
Vigilance is especially necessary amid predictions that Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford will announce an “emergency brake” shutdown for the entire province.
Ontario has reported the highest ICU occupancy with 2,557 new COVID cases and 23 new deaths. This third wave has been said to be driven by variants, and also due to the vaccine plan not reaching the highest risk communities.
Quebec also locked two regions in light of the Ontario shutdown and the national mark for cases approaching the one-million mark.
Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam prompted Canadians to “hold on together a bit stronger and longer until vaccines can do their job.”