There are 80 more cases of COVID-19 in BC today, and two more deaths from the virus

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There are 80 more cases of COVID-19 in BC today, and two more deaths. The deaths were seniors in care homes in the Fraser Valley. Most new cases are among young people on the lower mainland. There is a new outbreak of nine cases among workers at the Loblaws warehouse facility in Surrey. Today's case count includes one new transmission in the Island Health Region. That makes ten active cases of the virus here. All but one have been labelled "community exposures." Those types of exposures are a concern because they are not linked to a known case, so the chain of transmission is unknown. However, BC's Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Reka Gustafson says she's not worried about the mysterious source of infection among the cases in Island Health.
"As the investigation proceeds, in the vast majority of cases, the source of the infection is identified. so we do monitor that and that number changes and often early in the investigation it's higher and as we speak to more contacts we have been able to identify the vast majority of the sources of infection”—Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Reka Gustafson.
Gustafson says finding the sources of infection is important because it helps contain an outbreak by ensuring those who may be infected are self-isolating.
Unemployed Canadians will be able to collect one more CERB cheque, before the program transitions to a new employment insurance plan. The federal government says Canadians will now qualify for EI after working as few as 120 hours in the last 52 weeks. Workers who are self-employed or not EI-eligible and still need support because their work has not yet returned due to COVID-19 will receive $400 dollars a week for up to 26 weeks. They will be able to earn income but will pay fifty cents of every dollar earned in tax, once their annual income is above $38,000. Those who have to look after children or a family member will qualify for $500 per week for up to 26 weeks. And, workers without sick pay but who have to call in sick will receive $500 a week for up to two weeks. The new programs begin on Sept the 27th, but benefit payments may be retroactive.
Unemployed hotel workers are planning a candlelight vigil tonight on the grounds of the provincial legislature. Close to 40,000 hospitality workers in BC were laid off in March because of the pandemic. Many unionized workers have recall rights, but those rights are about to expire. Members of Unite Here Local 40 have been on rotating hunger strikes for the past 10 days. They have been joined by non unionized workers. They are asking the government to guarantee the right of workers to return to their jobs by extending recall rights to two years. Tonight, they are awaiting recommendations in a report on the topic, commissioned by the Minister of Labour.