What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. on April 28, 2020

THE LATEST:

• Dr. Bonnie Henry said 55 new cases of COVID-19 have been detected in B.C. for a total of 2,053.
• Two more deaths were also announced for a total of 105 lives lost.
• As of Tuesday afternoon, 94 people were in hospital with the novel coronavirus. Of those, 37 are in intensive care.
• 1,231 people have recovered.
• Federal health officials provided updated projections on the number of potential cases and deaths in Canada from COVID-19.
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today that new modelling shows public health measures are working to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced two more deaths from COVID-19 in B.C., meaning the novel coronavirus has killed 105 British Columbians.

Henry announced new numbers related to the pandemic Tuesday afternoon.

In addition to the deaths, she said 55 new cases of the disease were detected in the past 24 hours, for a total of 2,053 infections province-wide. By Tuesday afternoon, 1,231 people had recovered.

Henry announced no new outbreaks to announce at long-term care homes or assisted living facilities. There are currently 20 ongoing outbreaks at care homes and three in acute care units.

In total, 34 cases have arisen from the outbreak at the United Poultry Plant in Vancouver and 46 have come from the outbreak at the Superior Poultry Plant in Coquitlam.

At Mission Institution prison, two more inmates have tested positive. That brings the total infections connected to that outbreak to 120 inmates and 12 staff.

Talk of opening up province

The prospect of reopening parts of B.C. is starting to look more realistic in the not-so-distant future as the province continues to bend the curve of infection.

"We're getting close to that time where we can start to open up," provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Monday.

No date has been set for any restrictions to be lifted, however, and officials have repeatedly said that any loosening up will require the number of active cases and hospitalizations to continue to fall.

As of Monday, B.C. has confirmed a total of 1,998 cases of the novel coronavirus, and 103 people have died. Ninety-seven patients are in hospital, including 36 in intensive care, and 1,190 have fully recovered.

There are active outbreaks at 21 long-term care homes and three hospital acute care units, along with two outbreaks connected to poultry processing plants in the Lower Mainland.

A total of 118 people have tested positive for COVID-19 at Mission Institution, a federal prison, and there are 11 B.C. cases so far linked to an oubreak at the Kearl Lake oilsands project in northern Alberta. 

National projections updated

On Tuesday morning, federal health officials provided updated projections on the number of potential cases and deaths in Canada from COVID-19, as debate ramps up across the country about when to ease restrictions on businesses and schools.

New modelling shows that while the number of new cases was doubling every three days previously, it is now doubling every 16 days.

Short-term projections forecast between 53,191 and 66,835 cases by May 5, and between 3,277 and 3,883 deaths by that date.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that new modelling shows public health measures are working to slow the spread of COVID-19 — but cautioned that easing restrictions too fast could wipe out the progress made to date.

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• How to apply for EI and COVID-19 emergency benefits
• Get the latest advisories, updates and cancellations for B.C.

Food trucks are being set up in provincially owned locations throughout B.C. to support commercial truck drivers.

The province said in a written statement that it is forgoing the usual restrictions and fees for food-truck operators who want to set up on key stops for drives. So far, vendors are operating at rest areas, weigh scales and other commercial truck pullouts throughout the Lower Mainland and southern Interior.

Top COVID-19 stories today

• Look inside the 'hot zone,' the specialized COVID-19 unit at B.C.'s biggest hospital.
• Hundreds of people from Haida Gwaii took part in a protest to greet any visitors arriving on BC Ferries on Monday, as fear of COVID-19 infection led to escalated enforcement of a visitor ban to the islands.
• B.C. is unlikely to follow Quebec's lead in reopening schools beginning in early May, nor has the province set a date for a return to class.
• Two of Vancouver's civic golf courses are set to reopen on May 1.
• Is the COVID-19 pandemic the root cause of an increase in illegal dumping in the B.C. Interior?

What's happening elsewhere in Canada

As of Sunday, Canada had 48,500 confirmed COVID-19 cases. A CBC News tally of coronavirus-related deaths, which is based on provincial data, local public health information and CBC reporting, put the death toll at 2,817 in Canada, plus two deaths abroad.

The numbers are not a complete picture, as they don't account for people who haven't been tested, those being investigated as a potential case and people still waiting for test results. 

For a look at what's happening across the country and the world, check the CBC interactive case tracker.

If you have a COVID-19-related story we should pursue that affects British Columbians, please email us at impact@cbc.ca