Evening News Update for April 22, 2020
📷 Dr. Bonnie Henry / Photo via Province of British Columbia (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this update stated that Students with volunteer jobs could be paid between $1000 and $5000 dollars per month, rather than over the summer work period.
NANAIMO—BC's Provincial Health officer is extremely concerned by two large outbreaks of COVID-19: one at a poultry plant and the other, at a federal prison. Dr. Bonnie Henry says employers need to be more responsible in ensuring safe distancing, enhanced cleaning at the workplace and they must have infection control plans if an outbreak occurs. It seems that was not the case at the United Poultry Company's processing plant in Vancouver, where 28 workers have tested positive for COVID-19. Dr. Henry says health officials began their investigation of the plant after one of its employees who contracted the virus reported that other sick employees were continuing to go to work. The plant was ordered closed on Monday, and Henry says it will not reopen until closed down until appropriate precautions including changes to the workflow are in place. Henry also referred to the outbreak at the federal medium-security prison in Mission, where 77 people, including ten guards, are infected. Five of those inmates are in hospital and one died last week. She says there are ongoing concerns related to that outbreak, including reports that the prison is still not alerting local authorities when inmates are released.
Big new case numbers are also raising the alarm for Dr. Henry. BC saw another spike with 71 new cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the provincial total to just under 1800. There was only one new case in the Island Health region, but there was a spike of seven cases on Tuesday and 5 over the weekend. Our cases count now stands at 110. Henry is warning if this continues, some restrictions may not be lifted next month. There were three more deaths reported in BC over the past 24 hours, all in long term care homes.
Financial help is on the way to post-secondary students. A new Canada Student Emergency Benefit means unemployed students or those earning $1000 or less per month will qualify for $1250 dollars a month from May until August. And, students can claim an extra $500 dollars monthly, if they are disabled or caring for a dependent. Students with volunteer jobs could be paid between $1000 and $5000 dollars over the summer work period. Student grants will be doubled which means up to $6,000 for full time and $3600 for part-time students. Student Loans will be increased from the maximum $210 dollars a week to $350. However, the benefits will not be available until new legislation is passed.
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