What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for Jan. 28

THE LATEST:

• Wednesday marked one year since the first COVID-19 case was detected in B.C.
• B.C. recorded 546 new cases of COVID-19 and 12 deaths on Thursday.
• There are currently 4,455 active cases in B.C., including 291 people in hospital, 75 in the ICU.
• 127,255 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in B.C., 4,185 of which were second doses. 
• Interior Health declared a COVID-19 cluster in the Fernie region. 
• COVID-19 infections in Whistler reached a total of 288 cases between Jan. 1 and Jan. 26, according to Vancouver Coastal Health.
• Premier John Horgan promised COVID-19 rule-breakers he will "come down on you like a ton of bricks."
• But B.C. won't follow Manitoba's lead in implementing mandatory quarantine for out-of-province visitors.

On the one-year anniversary of the first case of COVID-19 being detected in B.C., Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is urging British Columbians not to give up on their efforts to combat the pandemic as they navigate what she calls a "period of challenge and hope."

"We have hope. We have vaccines. But it's slow and way slower than we want," Henry said Thursday morning on CBC's The Early Edition.

After asking people to "do more" earlier this week, Henry acknowledged Thursday that British Columbians are nearing a point of exhaustion.

"This is a very difficult time and when I talk about 'doing more,' for many of us — the vast majority of us who are doing our best right now — it's about reaching out and supporting each other and supporting those we know who are bending the rules," she said.

Henry also emphasized the importance of continuing to spend time outdoors in safe settings.

"We now all need to find that time every day where we can do a little bit of something for ourselves, for our family. "

Cases plateauing

On Thursday, health officials announced 546 new case of COVID-19 and 12 more deaths.

Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix issued a written statement saying there are now 4,455 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. There are 291 people in hospital, 75 of whom are in intensive care.

To date, B.C. has confirmed 66,265 cases of COVID-19, including 1,184 people who have died.

Thursday's update also included two new health-care facility outbreaks at Bradley Centre and Concord by the Sea, both in the Fraser Health Authority.

Vancouver Coastal Health says COVID-19 infections in Whistler have now reached a total of 288 cases between Jan. 1 and Jan. 26. In a statement, the health authority said the majority of cases are connected to young people in their 20s and 30s who live, work and socialize together. None of the cases have resulted in hospitalization or death.

Premier John Horgan held his weekly COVID-19 briefing earlier Wednesday, promising those who are flouting public health orders that officials will "come down on you like a ton of bricks."

He also spoke at length about two Vancouverites accused of chartering a plane to a remote Yukon community and posing as motel employees to get early access to the Moderna vaccine. The premier said that behaviour is "un-Canadian" and said British Columbians all feel "contempt" for them.

But Horgan did not announce any new enforcement measures on Wednesday, and said B.C. will not follow Manitoba's lead and bring in mandatory 14-day quarantines for people visiting from out of province.

Vaccine status

So far, 127,255 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given out in B.C., including 4,185 second doses.

Henry has said that over the weekend the province received further updates on future shipments of vaccinations — and that B.C. will not be receiving new doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines over the next two weeks.

As a result of the shortage, second doses of the vaccine will be delayed until 42 days after the first, rather than 35, in order to provide protection to a greater number of people.

The last update from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control confirmed six cases of the variant first reported in the U.K. and three cases of the variant first seen in South Africa. 

Henry said all cases of the variant from the U.K. are travel-related, but none of the variants first detected in South Africa have been linked to travel. 

The province has ramped up screening for the faster-spreading coronavirus variants of concern.

Interior clusters grow

Interior Health declared a COVID-19 cluster in the Fernie region of southeastern B.C. Clusters are declared when problematic COVID-19 transmission is occurring throughout a community.

Since the start of January, 81 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the region and 63 cases are currently active.

Meanwhile, more COVID-19 cases have been linked to community clusters related to social gatherings at Big White Ski Resort near the Okanagan city of Kelowna. An additional 11 bring the total number of cases there to 225.

Interior Health says 46 new cases linked to a cluster first identified Jan. 20 in the Williams Lake area in the central Interior have been identified.

"There is no single location or event tied to the majority of cases; they primarily appear to be associated with local social gatherings," read a statement from the health authority.

Thirteen staff at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake have also tested positive, but Interior Health says the hospital is safe to visit for appointments or emergency care.

Whistler exposures

Vancouver Coastal Health's public exposures list has named three more restaurants in Whistler, B.C., where patrons may have been exposed to COVID-19 in January.

It brings the total number of Whistler establishments on the list to six, double what was listed earlier this week.

Vancouver Coastal Health says the exposure risk is believed to be low but is asking people who attended the businesses during the listed dates to self-monitor for symptoms.

Henry repeated Thursday that outdoor activities like skiing continue to be safe, but it is the group parties and gatherings happening at ski hills that are the source of transmissions.

She said a number of bars and restaurants that have not been adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols have been closed down by public health, but did not specify if any businesses in Whistler had been targeted.

"It is not just on the restaurant owners," she added. "We know they get challenged by people who come in and want to mingle and want to sit with a larger group."

READ MORE:

• They were together 55 years. They died days apart after COVID-19 diagnosis.
• Yukon has changed its vaccine eligibility after a B.C. couple allegedly flew in to get doses.
• A man who became violent after refusing to wear a mask inside the Vancouver Law Courts building is facing assault charges after a scuffle in which an officer broke a leg, police say.
• There's a race between COVID-19 and the rollout of vaccines as researchers and health officials in B.C. warn of two faster-spreading variants of the coronavirus that causes the disease.
• Physicians say COVID-19 vaccines both safe, protective for elderly Canadians. Here's what seniors need to know.
• B.C. Premier John Horgan has promised those ignoring COVID-19 public health orders that officials will "come down on you like a ton of bricks," but no new penalties or enforcement measures have been announced.

What's happening elsewhere in Canada

As of 3 p.m. PT on Thursday, Canada had reported 765,096 cases of COVID-19, with 57,011 cases considered active.

A CBC News tally of deaths stood at 19,645.

• Stay informed by joining our CBC Vancouver Facebook group on COVID-19 
• Help CBC British Columbia tell your COVID-19 stories