B.C. has passed another milestone, as the cumulative number of COVID-19 infections exceeded the 9,000 case mark.

Although today’s new case count higher than yesterday’s, the number of active and monitored cases continue to decline and hospitalizations remain the same.

There’s one new healthcare outbreak; nine schools with exposure incidents; and a coffee shop, four stores, and four flights with confirmed cases.

In addition, the B.C. government announced today that, once again, the provincial state of emergency has been extended, this time until October 13.

Daily update: September 29

The new case count is back up over 100 again.

In today’s joint statement from B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Deputy Health Minister Stephen Brown, they confirmed 105 new cases (including three epi-linked cases) in B.C.

However, active cases continue to drop—down 34 cases from 1,302 cases yesterday to 1,268 active cases today.

The number of hospitalized cases—69 individuals—remains the same as yesterday, and 20 of these patients (two less than yesterday) are in intensive care units.

Public health is monitoring 3,337 people, which is 35 less people than yesterday.

No new community outbreaks have been declared but there is a new healthcare outbreak at Haro Park Centre (1233 Haro Street) in Vancouver’s West End. This longterm care facility was among the first few healthcare facilities that had an outbreak early in the pandemic.

Unfortunately, one individual has died in Fraser Health, raising the total number of fatalities to 234 people who have died during the pandemic from COVID-19.

A cumulative total of 9,013 cases have been confirmed in B.C. during the pandemic, which include:

• 4,594 cases in Fraser Health;
• 3,286 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
• 206 in Island Health;
• 531 in Interior Health;
• 309 in Northern Health;
• 87 people who live outside Canada.

A total of 7,485 people in B.C. have recovered from COVID-19.

School exposures

Several more schools have been added to exposure event lists by three health authorities. Interior Health didn’t add any new schools to its list and Island Health still hasn’t had any exposure incidents at its schools.

Vancouver Coastal Health has added four more schools with exposure incidents:

• Vancouver Technical Secondary (2600 East Broadway) in Vancouver on September 21;
• Elsie Roy Elementary (150 Drake Street) in Vancouver, from September 22 to 24;
• B.C. Muslim School (12300 Blundell Road) in Richmond, from September 11 to 18;
• Rockridge Secondary (5350 Headland Drive) in West Vancouver, from September 23 to 24;
• Howe Sound Secondary (38430 Buckley Avenue) in Squamish, from September 21 to 25.

Fraser Health has added two schools in New Westminster to its list:

• Lord Tweedsmuir Elementary (1714 8th Avenue) from September 24 to 25;

• Queensborough Middle School (833 Salter Street) from September 21 to 22.

Northern Health has also added two schools:

• Quesnel Junior Secondary, which previously had an exposure incident from September 10 to 11, in Quesnel has had a second exposure event from September 15 to 18;
• David Hoy Elementary (Birch Street West at 4th Avenue West) in Fort St. James had an exposure incident from September 17 to 18.

Food and flights

Vancouver Coastal Health has listed Abruzzo Cappuccino Bar (1321 Commercial Drive) in Vancouver as having a potential COVID-19 exposure incident between 1 and 3 p.m. from September 23 to 26.

Loblaw announced that employees have tested positive at the following locations:

• Real Canadian Superstore (333 Seymour Boulevard) in North Vancouver, with September 24 listed as the last date worked by the employee;
• Shoppers Drug Mart at the Shops at Mission Hills (32530 Lougheed Highway) in Mission, with September 16 as the last date the employee worked;
• Dave’s No Frills (1401 Alaska Avenue) in Dawson Creek, with September 18 listed as the last date worked by the employee;
• Hector’s Your Independent Grocer (1900 Garibaldi Way) in Squamish, with September 23 as the last date worked by the employee;

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has confirmed the following flights with COVID-19:

• September 18: Air Canada 122, from Vancouver to Toronto;

• September 19: Air Canada 303, from Montreal to Vancouver;

• September 22: Air Canada 304, from Vancouver to Montreal;

• September 24: Air Canada 123, from Toronto to Vancouver;

For affected row information, visit the BCCDC website.

Anyone at these locations or on these flights should watch for symptoms for 14 days following the date of visit or flight date.

If you develop symptoms, immediately self-isolate and call 811 to find out about testing.