B.C. records 81 new cases of COVID-19 from over the weekend and 2 more deaths

THE LATEST:

• B.C. has recorded 81 new cases and 2 new deaths since Friday.
• The total number of COVID-19 cases has reached 3,500.
• The number of deaths has reached 193.
• There are264 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C.
• 11 people are being treated in hospitals, including threein ICU.

B.C.Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says 81 new cases of COVID-19 and two moredeaths have been recorded in British Columbia since Friday.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in B.C. has reached 3,500 since the pandemic began.

Health authorities also announced that anew community outbreak has been declared at Fraser Valley Packing, ablueberry packing plant in the Abbotsford area. Henry says an investigation of the outbreak began Thursday and 15 people have tested positive for the virus so far.

Cases have been steadily ticking upwards since the province entered Phase 3 of its gradual reopening in late June. It'ssomething health officials warned could happen as people expanded their social interactions.

However, the 81 new cases over the three-day reporting period since Friday mark a slight decrease from the average of 30 cases a day the province was seeing last week.

Henry, who described last week in B.C. as a "turning point," has askedthe public to pull back on social interactions, and "recommit" to physical distancing.

As of Monday, the outbreakon Haida Gwaiinow includes 14 cases, which health officials say are all linked tolocal residents and off-island travel.

Health officials also said anoutbreak in Kelowna continues togrow and anyone who may have been exposed needs to monitorthemselves closely.

More than 1,000 British Columbians are currently in self-isolation, with up to 86 cases now linked to public gatherings and parties in the Kelowna area.

"If you have been told to self-isolate this is not optional, this is a requirement. This is what you need to do now for the duration of the incubation period from when you were exposed," Henry reminded British Columbians on Monday.

New order limits guests at vacation rentals

Monday, Henry also amended the order on mass gatherings, specifically to limit the number of guests atshort-term rentals, houseboats, hotels, cabins and other vacation rentals to the capacity of the premise, plus a maximum of five visitors.

In addition, she said, owners must collect contact information for everyone, guests and visitors alike.Henry saidthe onus is on the propertyowner to monitor their location for compliance.

"That means you cannot have a large group of people over to party in your hotel room or on your boat during this period of our COVIDsummer," she said.

Figures from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) show theOkanagan has had 107 positive tests between July 10 and July 23.

During the same period, 58 people were diagnosed south of theFraser River, 49 in Vancouver and four in Richmond.

Meantime, an online list from the BCCDClisting possible coronavirus exposures stemming from flights involving Vancouver has grown to 13 since June 3.