People are susceptible everywhere.
That’s the message from BC Health Minister Adrian Dix for why the province is not easing more restrictions for other health regions with fewer cases of coronavirus.
In an exclusive interview, Dix told Vista Radio the rapidness of COVID-19 is a big reason why this hasn’t been considered.
“This can go from zero to fifty as they say in cars very quickly in the community and in a place so we have to be prudent, we have to be serious and we have to protect communities, this is truly an isolated community.”
“For example, northern Saskatchewan shares many characteristics with northern BC. People were returning from an oilsands project in Kearl Lake (Alberta) and there was serious and significant infection there so people remain vulnerable. And so, we put in measures to get access to the care they need quickly and that we have additional air ambulance services but still people are very vulnerable. The fact that we have been very successful so far is not a reason not to act in Northern it’s even more reason to.”
There are currently 14 active cases (as of noon on Thursday) of COVID-19 outside of the Lower Mainland.
Northern Health has 57 test positive cases of the virus with 51 of those now recovered.
Just two people are in hospital with one in ICU.