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The COVID-19 death rate continues to climb with three more in BC in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 155. Again, the deaths were in the hardest-hit region of the province, Fraser Health. There are 18 new cases of the virus, bringing BC's total to just over 2500. There is one new case recorded in Island Health, but the infection didn't actually happen here. It was a case of an employee of the Kearl Lake Oilsands project in Alberta. That person recovered in Alberta but lives in the Island Health region.

📷 Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Surgeries that were cancelled by Island Health due to COVID-19 have been rebooked / via Jesse Woodward

Meanwhile, more than 600 people whose surgeries were cancelled by Island Health because of COVID-19 have been re-booked. Close to 4,000 surgeries in the region were postponed in March, to ensure there would be enough hospital beds during the pandemic. Over the past week, the Island Health Authority has contacted almost half of the patients whose surgeries were cancelled and will continue to reschedule. It plans to ramp up bookings by extending operating room hours by mid-June.

The Cowichan Valley branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association has been put on probation by its parent division after an investigation found problems in the way it deals with clients. An independent investigation looked into complaints filed last November and December, about the treatment of a tenant in one of its housing programs. The investigation found “inappropriate” conduct by two staff members towards the tenant and an advocate. The BC Division of the Mental Health Association has ordered the Cowichan Valley branch to “develop clear written policies and procedures, train board and staff in conflict resolution, and engage in organization-wide training focused on a meaningful commitment to Indigenous reconciliation, including training on cultural safety, humility, and trauma-informed care.” And the Cowichan Valley branch must do so within a year, or it will lose its affiliation with the Canadian Mental Health Association. The CMHA says the recommendations included in the report will be required of every branch in Canada.

The province is making it easy for restaurants, pubs, breweries and wineries to expand table service to patios, sidewalks and even parking lots. BC's Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch has set up a free, on-line permission process to temporarily allow expanded service areas until Oct. 31st. It does not allow an increase in the number of licensed seats but will allow those seats to be spread out, with permission of the local municipality. Site inspections are not required before the permit is issued, but random inspections are planned.

Written and reported by: Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.

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