B.C. on July 24 counted 27 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the lowest daily total in five days.
The average total of new daily infections in the past week of the virus that has caused a global pandemic is 31.85, following:
• 51 new cases on July 18;
• 19 new cases on July 19;
• 32 new cases on July 20;
• 30 new cases on July 21;
• 34 new cases on July 22;
• 30 new cases on July 23; and
• 27 new cases on July 24.
One new death has been reported, for a total of 191 people who have succumbed to the virus out of 3,419 infections since it first appeared in the province in late January.
Ten fewer people are fighting the virus in B.C. today, compared with yesterday, as 294 individuals have active infections. Most of those are self-isolating at home, although 16 people are in hospital, with three of those in intensive care units.
More than 85.8% of those infected, or 2,934 people, have recovered.
The breakdown of COVID-19 infections by health region is:
• 1,057 in Vancouver Coastal Health (up six);
• 1,764 in Fraser Health (up 14);
• 142 in Island Health (no new cases);
• 319 in Interior Health (up four);
• 79 in Northern Health (up two); and
• 58 people who reside outside Canada (one new).
One active outbreak persists at a seniors' long-term care home – Holy Family Hospital. So do two acute care outbreaks: St. Paul's Hospital and Mission Memorial Hospital.
"There is one new community outbreak, on Haida Gwaii, with 13 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 to date," Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Bonnie Henry said in a joint statement. "Of the 13 people who have tested positive, one person has recovered and 12 are active cases. At this time cases are all local residents."
They said that the source of Haida Gwaii transmission is being investigated, and that all of the cases are what they call "epi-linked," or presumed cases that have not been confirmed with tests.
"Some are related residents who had recently travelled off island, and others are from exposure to known cases," Henry and Dix said.
The two added that there continues to be additional community exposure events throughout the province, including at Fossello's clothing store in Kelowna. A full listing of community exposure events for each health authority is available through the BC Centre for Disease Control, as well as on health authority websites.
