B.C. announces 102 new cases of COVID-19 and 2 more deaths

B.C. health officials announced 102 new cases of COVID-19 and two more deaths on Tuesday.

In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Stephen Brown, B.C.'s deputy health minister, said there are1,384active cases of people infected with the disease caused by the novel coronavirus in B.C., up31 from Monday.

Seventy-one people are in hospital, with 16in intensive care. Hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases,have climbed back to nearly reach the numbersfrom last Wednesday, when 72 people were in hospital.

The province's death toll now stands at 244.

Public health is actively monitoring 3,089people across the province, who are in self-isolation due to COVID-19 exposure.

No new outbreaks

There were no new health-care facility outbreaks or community outbreaks to announce on Tuesday. However, there are still active outbreaks in 16 long-term care or assisted-living facilities and three acute-care facilities.

Henry warns in the news release that there continue to be exposure events around the province, but that B.C. is again starting to flatten the curve of new cases as it did early on in the pandemic.

"People are doing the right thing and, as evidenced by the latest modelling data, individual actions are making a difference for all of us to stay safe and strong in the face of COVID-19," she said in the written statement.

"There is no question that what we do today directly influences the well-being of our communities tomorrow, so let's continue to do our part to protect ourselves and each other each day and every day."

Parents send letter over school concerns

Some parents have expressed concern about the communication between health authorities and schools around potential exposure events.

An open letter from parents in West Vancouver with more than 900 signatures has been sent to B.C.'s provincial health officer and the chief medical officer of Vancouver Coastal Health asking them to improve the strategy for responding to positive COVID-19 cases in schools.

Every exposure that takes place in a B.C. school is listed on each health authority website.

New North Shore testing centre

Vancouver Coastal Health announced that anew COVID-19 testing centre will open on Thursday in North Vancouver located in the Capilano ICBC Claim Centre at 255 Lloyd Avenue.

The new indoor site will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and can accommodate both walk-in and drive-through clients, ages four and up. VCH expects it to administer between 450 to 600 tests daily.

The current North Vancouver testing centre located in the parking lot of Centennial Theatrewill remain open until 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct.7.