British Columbia announced 90 new cases of COVID-19, which pushes its active case count to a record-high of 824.
It marks the fourth time in the past five days that the province has seen its active case count — which represents the amount of people who are still considered infected — reach a new record-high. Before the recent stretch, its previous record was set April 26.
The 90 recently identified cases are part of a concerning trend. The province has now reported at least 70 cases on eight of the last 10 occasions. Before the recent stretch, the last time the province had recorded at least 70 cases was on April 25.
Health officials did not hold a press conference on Friday to discuss the latest increase, but they have been asking young people to be mindful of how they’re contributing to the spread of COVID-19 through large private gatherings, some of which have been indoors.
On Friday, officials announced that they are increasing enforcement measures, to fine people who hold or organize large gatherings, such as parties, that are not in accordance with provincial health orders. People in B.C. can now be fined $2,000 for certain violations.
Exposures due to gatherings have been a key concern for B.C. ever since two hotel parties around Canada Day in Kelowna led to dozens of cases around the province, as well as possible exposure warnings for a variety of businesses. Officials continue to ask B.C. residents to check the growing list of public exposure warnings as part of contact tracing efforts.
There are currently 2,594 people who remain in self-isolation and are being monitored by health officials on a daily basis, since they were in contact with a known case.
Throughout the pandemic, there have been 4,915 cases in B.C. That includes 3,889 people who have recovered. Two more people have also died in the Fraser Health region in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch, which increases the death toll to 202.
