What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for Nov. 27

THE LATEST:

• 911 new cases of COVID-19 were announced on Friday, along with 11 more deaths.
• There are 8,749 people with active cases of the disease across B.C.
• 301 patients are in hospital with COVID-19, including 69 in intensive care.
• 395 people have now died of the disease.
• A total of 10,430 people are now under active public health monitoring and in self-isolation because of exposure to known COVID-19 cases.
• There have been 30,884 confirmed cases in the province to date.

B.C.'s second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is showing no signs of slowing, with another 911 new cases confirmed on Friday and 11 more deaths.

That brings the number of active cases in the province to 8,749. A total of 301 patients are in hospital with COVID-19, including 69 in intensive care.

The Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health regions continue to see the greatest spread of the disease, accounting for 88 per cent of the new cases announced Friday.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry was emotional when she spoke about the new deaths on Friday, most of whom were elderly people. 

She asked residents in the province to treat others with compassion and follow provincial health orders, such as only socializing with immediate household members.

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Friday's briefing comes a little more than a week after strict new restrictions and rules were put in place in B.C., including wide-ranging mask orders for indoor public and retail environments.

Health officials have told British Columbians to pause all social interactions and be vigilant applying different layers of protection, including physical distancing, washing hands and using masks.

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Updated mask orders on transit

On Friday TransLink released updated rules for mask-wearing while on public transit.

Customers must now wear masks while boarding or waiting for transit at any indoor or sheltered stations, in accordance with the province's order mandating mask wearing at any indoor public place.

This includes stations, platforms, bus stops, bus loops, and bus exchanges. Face shields are no longer considered a suitable option in place of a non-medical mask or face covering.

Transit Police can issue fines of $230 for people who refuse to wear a mask on transit.

READ MORE:

• A pilot project at Vancouver Airport (YVR) is enlisting volunteer travelers to take COVID-19 rapid tests before departing on their domestic flights.
• Navigating COVID-19 during the holidays raises questions about provincial rules, balancing safety and isolation.
• A 30-year-old man has been arrested for assault and mischief after allegedly assaulting an employee who asked him to wear a face mask inside a Walmart in Dawson Creek.
• A "very aggressive" customer at a restaurant in Victoria has been issued two tickets totalling $460 under the B.C. COVID-19 Related Measures Act for allegedly wandering between tables and threatening staff.
• There's some confusion in Prince George over who is in charge of interpreting and enforcing provincial health orders.
• Dr. Bonnie Henry says some British Columbians could begin receiving a vaccine for COVID-19 as early as January 2021.

What's happening elsewhere in Canada

There have now been more than 359,064 cases of COVID-19 in Canada.

On Thursday, federal officials sought to reassure Canadians that they have a plan to procure and distribute millions of COVID-19 vaccines in early 2021. Dr. Howard Njoo, Canada's deputy chief public health officer, said as many as six million doses could be deployed in the first three months of the new year.

Canada is expected to receive at least 194 million vaccine doses, with contractual options for 220 million more.