Health authorities in B.C. have confirmed 20 new COVID-19 cases across the province, bringing the total up to 2,869 infections as of Thursday, June 25th.
So far, 2,517 people have fully recovered from the virus, and 179 cases remain active.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer said two more deaths have been attributed to COVID-19. 173 British Columbians have died from the illness to date.
No change has been reported within the Interior Health region, its total remains at 199.
Henry said that Thursday was the last day of in-class learning for the school year, and some lessons have been learned to take into the new school year.
“Students and teachers right across the province have really done an amazing job of adapting to the new way of learning,” said Henry. “We’ve learned a lot, and those lessons will be applied as we prepare for the full return to school, however that will look like, in September.”
On Wednesday, B.C. has made the call to move into phase 3 of the B.C. restart plan, which will allow more businesses like hotels, theatres, resorts, and parks to open back up.
“This has been a gradual increase, and I continue to believe that it is what we need to do. This is an exciting time, in many ways, because it has shown that we have been able to find our balance,” said Henry. “As more stores and businesses open, as we travel more, we are going to have more cases. What we need to do is make sure we have those measures in place so we can stop transmission quickly, and make sure it’s not spread to large numbers of people.”
Henry added that it is important to continue to uphold COVID-19 safety procedures as more businesses become available. Regular handwashing and cleaning, physical barriers, such as plexiglass shields and maintaining a physical distance, and using a non-medical mask are all encouraged to continue.
More: B.C. moving into Phase 3 of Restart Plan (June 24, 2020)