Dr. Bonnie Henry cautiously optimistic about COVID-19 numbers

🎧 Listen in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts / Google Play

Listen to the News Update

New in this update:

Thursday COVID-19 update

There has been one new case of COVID-19 confirmed in the Island Health region since yesterday, bringing our active case count to four. Province-wide there have been 82 new cases, and one death over the past 24 hours. BC's Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, says she's cautiously optimistic about where BC is heading.

"We are not seeing that exponential increase. We've been having a linear increase and it's kind of slowed down. We still have numbers that reflect the fact that there is ongoing transmission within the community that we need to be aware of and we need to be careful. It sneaks up on us and we can have explosive outbreaks if we're not on our guard."—Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

Henry says she will present more detailed information next week about how the virus is currently being spread and who is spreading it.

Visions for seniors’ care released by Greens and NDP

New Democrats and BC Greens are offering their visions of what seniors' care homes should look like. Yesterday, NDP leader John Horgan promised $140 million dollars a year to create single bedrooms in public facilities owned by provincial health authorities. The NDP is also promising to continue paying workers the same higher wages and benefits after the pandemic ends. It says it will make private operators more accountable for the public dollars they receive” but offered no specifics on how it would do that. Today, the BC Green Party announced its goal is to eliminate private for-profit companies from the senior care sector. It would begin with more oversight with annual audits and inspections of private facilities. The Greens are promising better pay for care workers by designating them as Health Care Professionals and setting their wages through the Health Employers Association of BC. Green Leader Sonia Furstenau says her party has not attached a cost to its promises. She says that's because it has not had months to work on it. However, Furstenau believes goal setting is the first step.

"We see time and time again that the other parties are content to tinker around the edges of major problems. We need to think bigger and we need to think long term about what our seniors need and deserve."—BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau.

Meanwhile, the BC Liberal Party has yet to release its platform on senior care.

Copper wire stolen from lights at Merle Logan Field

Nighttime use of the city's Merle Logan Field has been suspended because of the theft of copper wire used in the lighting fixtures. RCMP says thieves made off with between 300 and 500 feet of copper wire sometime between 1 and 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Police believe whoever took the wire had some knowledge of the wiring in the park. The city estimates it will cost $20,000 to replace and install the wiring. It has not said when that will happen.

📸 Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry / via Province of B.C.

📸 Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry / via Province of B.C.


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

Have a tip? Email: news@chly.ca

Find us on social media

Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FM

Funded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative. 
Sustain CHLY’s News Department for many years to come by 
signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.


 
Funders-LJI.png
 
Lisa Cordasco