Evening News Update for April 27, 2020

📷 Health Minister Adrian Dix and Chief Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry provide an update on COVID-19 / Photo via Province of British Columbia (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

NANAIMO—There have been three more deaths and 50 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in BC since Saturday. BC's death count is 103. The total number of infected is just under 2000. There were no new cases or deaths reported in the Island Health region.

Many of the new cases are linked to the outbreak at the federal medium-security prison in Mission. 118 inmates, almost a third of the prison population, along with 12 workers have tested positive for the virus over the past three weeks. Corrections Canada says it has taken the advice of provincial Health Authorities to manage the outbreak. Now, all inmates at the Mission institution will be tested. And, Corrections Canada has installed more hand-washing stations, provided more personal protective equipment and more disinfection of high-contact surfaces. The federal prison has come under fire from the union representing guards, and an inmates group, that has launched a class-action lawsuit, claiming Corrections Canada did little to prevent or control the spread of the virus. BC's Provincial Health Officer says a lapse in reporting to the local health authority meant the virus spread rapidly. Dr. Bonnie Henry says there were further challenges over differing opinions about infection control. The institution has since increased its nursing staff to provide 24/7 care and doctors are available seven days a week. The Mission outbreak sits in stark contrast to the outbreak of one inmate at the provincially run Okanagan Detention Center. That outbreak was declared "over" more than a week ago. BC's Minister of Health praised officials at the Okanagan facility. Adrian Dix says he hopes to share the healthcare model for BC prisons with other jurisdictions.

The Provincial Health Officer says she has not set a date for when BC school classrooms might re-open. Dr. Bonnie Henry says she is not considering opening schools over the summer. However, she says some elementary school children, whose parents work, may see some open classrooms in the coming weeks. Henry says any classroom re-openings would be small scale, while the province creates a much larger plan for the fall. The Minister of Education is planning to speak tomorrow, about what schools are doing in the meantime.

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Lisa Cordasco

Senior Reporter and News Director — Lisa is responsible for creating the station's first morning news current affairs show on CHLY. She is also deeply involved in training and mentoring student and citizen journalists who volunteer their time at the station. Before joining CHLY, Lisa spent 35 years in various roles at CBC Radio, from host to reporter. Her passion for journalism and radio has led her to Nanaimo, where she intends to provide CHLY listeners with news they can use, in an alternative radio environment. Her other not-so-secret passion is costuming for any occasion.

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