Bt Roy L Hales
Health Minister Adrian Dix and Chief Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced there were 16 new COVID cases in Island Health on Friday, Nov.13. This is Vancouver Island’s highest new COVID-19 case count since the pandemic began.
Cases compiled using data from Island Health and the BC Centre for Disease control. Graph by Roy L Hales.
Increase of active cases over fice days
Over the course of the last five days, the number of active cases on Vancouver Island has increased from 39 to 67.
Two people were admitted to Intensive Care Units, which hasn’t happened for months.
While a series of media reports are coming out of two schools and the hospital in Nanaimo, the number of active cases in North Vancouver Island quietly increased from eight, on Monday, to 15 by Friday. After five days, the number of cases is close to double.
Compilation of screenshots from the British Columbia COVID-19 Dashboard. During these five days, there were 39 new cases; two were admitted to Intensive care units and 11 people recovered. Photo courtesy of the BC government.
Island Health Press releases
Yesterday, Island Health issued a press release stating they had been contacting patrons of Browns Socialhouse, in Courtenay, about a possible exposure to COVID-19 on Nov. 3 and 5.
“Contact tracing has been completed and anyone identified as a close contact has been instructed to self-isolate.”
“ … If you have not been contacted by public health, then please be assured you did not have a high-risk exposure related to this case. No ongoing COVID-19 risk from this exposure has been identified.”
Island Health’s Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Richard Stanwick, has also issued a Public Health Order stating, “Effective November 13, all owners and operators of campgrounds and RV parks must collect information from each patron that would enable contact tracing, including names and phone numbers. This information must be kept for a period of 30 days.”
Map of North Vancouver Island’s four Health Areas . Photo courtesy of the BC Government.
North Vancouver Island’s four Health areas:
- Comox Valley
- Campbell River, which includes Cortes, Quadra and the other Discovery Islands.
- Vancouver Island North
- and Vancouver island West.
The most recent statistical breakdown of cases within those areas shows the cumulative total of cases up until the end of October. Comparing those numbers with those of the previous monthly summary, there were eight new cases in the Comox Valley, six in Campbell River and one in Vancouver Island North during October. The pace is escalating.
A monthly update of the cumulative cases in each health area, up until the end of November, should be released about this time in December.