COVID-19 update for April 13: Here’s the latest on coronavirus in British Columbia

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Here’s your daily update with everything you need to know on the novel coronavirus situation in B.C. for April 13, 2021.

We’ll provide summaries of what’s going on in B.C. right here so you can get the latest news at a glance. This page will be updated regularly throughout the day, with developments added as they happen.

Check back here for more updates throughout the day. You can also get the latest COVID-19 news delivered to your inbox weeknights at 7 p.m. by subscribing to our newsletter here.

B.C.’S COVID-19 CASE NUMBERS

As of the latest figures given on April 13:

• Total number of confirmed cases: 113,702 (9,756 active cases)
• New cases since April 12: 873
• Total deaths: 1,515 (2 new deaths)
• Hospitalized cases: 377
• Intensive care: 116
• Total vaccinations: 1,148,993 doses administered (87,785 second doses)
• Cases under public health monitoring: 16,290
• Recovered: 102,268
• Long-term care and assisted-living homes, and acute care facilities currently affected: 12

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IN-DEPTH:COVID-19: Here are all the B.C. cases of the novel coronavirus

B.C. GUIDES AND LINKS

• COVID-19: Here’s everything you need to know about the novel coronavirus

• COVID-19 FAQ: What you need to know about the vaccine rollout in B.C.

• COVID-19: Have you been exposed? Here are all B.C. public health alerts

• COVID-19 at B.C. schools: Here are the school district exposure alerts

• COVID-19: Avoid these hand sanitizers that are recalled in Canada

• COVID-19: Here’s where to get tested in Metro Vancouver

• B.C. COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool

LATEST NEWS ON COVID-19 IN B.C.

8 p.m. – Indoor dining ban to be extended

The association representing B.C.’s restaurant industry says B.C. government is set to announce an extension on its ban on indoor dining at restaurants and pubs across the province.

The restriction was brought in last month as part of what health officials called “a three-week circuit breaker” to slow the spread of COVID-19 variants of concern.

On Tuesday evening, following a meeting with Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, and Dr. Brian Emerson, deputy provincial health officer, the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association notified its members that the indoor dining ban would be extended beyond April 19, the original expiry date for the restriction, and into May.

“This is a result of the continued high number of daily cases and the Provinces goal to have restrictions in place that avoid socialization and gathering indoors, for now,” the BCRFA said.

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The BCRFA also said it would be working with Henry and Emerson on patio guidlines for the industry.

“In the meeting we expressed that there has been much inconsistency and confusion in regards to patios,” the BCRFA said.

On under the current rules, restaurants can only serve take-out or provide patio service.

3 p.m. – State of emergency extended in B.C. with hospitalizations at near-record high

With case numbers rising and hospitalizations at a near-record high, B.C. Premier John Horgan has extended the provincial state of emergency amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, B.C. reported 873 new cases of COVID-19 and two additional deaths.

There are currently 9,756 active cases confirmed in B.C. with 377 individuals being treated in hospital.  There are 116 COVID-19 patient in intensive care.

The premier indicated further restrictions may have to be brought in to slow transmission of the virus which has infected 113,702 British Columbians and killed 1,515 since the start of the pandemic.

“This is a difficult time for everyone,” said Horgan. “With the vaccine program well underway we can see hope on the horizon, but higher case numbers and variants mean that we need to draw back in some places instead of opening up.”

A total of 5,221 of B.C.’s COVID-19 cases, including 258 active cases, have been determined to be variants of concern, which are significantly more contagious than the original virus.

This includes 3,627 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, first identified in the UK, 65 cases of the B.1.351 variant, first identified in South Africa, and 1,529 cases of the P.1 variant, which originated in Brazil.

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The variant count has risen by more than 1,110 cases since Friday, including 545 new cases of B.1.1.7 and 555 new cases of P.1.

The state of emergency extension is to April 27, more than 13 months since the state of emergency was first declared on March 18, 2020.

4 p.m. – Restrictions loom in Alberta as cases continue to rise

Hospitalizations in Alberta due to COVID-19 surpassed 400 on Tuesday, as the province’s top health and political officials warned of potentially increasing measures aimed to stop spread of the deadly virus.

The province reported 1,081 more cases from 12,286 tests, for a nine per cent positivity rate. Of those, 705 were cases of the variant strain first detected in the U.K.

Alberta had 7,910 active variant cases of the virus as of Tuesday, representing about 52 per cent of its 15,087 total active COVID-19 cases.

Chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw also announce three more coronavirus-related deaths — two of which in Alberta Health Services’ Calgary zone — bringing Alberta’s  pandemic fatality toll to 2,021 since March 2020.

Around 46 per cent of all active cases in the province were in AHS’ Calgary zone.

There were 402 Albertans infected by COVID-19 in hospital on Tuesday, including 88 patients receiving treatment in intensive-care units.

“My team is monitoring closely and if we do not see growth slowing soon, further measures may be required,” Hinshaw said during a media briefing.

– Calgary Herald

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1:30 p.m. – Record number of COVID-19 patients in ICU

There are a record number of COVID-19 patients in Canada’s intensive care units.

Dr. Theresa Tam, the chief public health officer, says an average of 970 people have been in ICUs over the last week.

The highest 7-day average previously was 880 in mid-January.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also urging Canadians to continue following public health orders in the hopes of a better summer.

— The Canadian Press

11 a.m. – Federal health agency reports first blood clot linked to AstraZeneca in Canada

The Public Health Agency of Canada says it has received a report of a blood clot following vaccination with the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot. It is the first such report in Canada.

The agency did not identify the province where it occurred or the age or gender of the patient, who is recovering at home.

The person received the AstraZeneca vaccine made at the Serum Institute of India, known under the brand name COVISHIELD.

The agency says reports of blood clots following vaccination are rare and “the report of this case shows that Canada’s vaccine safety monitoring system works.”

— The Canadian Press

10:30 a.m. – Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair cancelled

The 2021 Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair has been cancelled by the event’s organizers in order to help get more people vaccinated faster.

Fraser Health is providing COVID-19 ‘mass vaccinations’ at the Cloverdale Recreation Centre, located at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds now through the end of the year.

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“We support everyone that is getting vaccinated,” said Shannon Claypool, president of the Cloverdale Rodeo and Exhibition Association.

Claypool said the decision to forfeit space for vaccination will result in a loss of income but until “this health emergency has been corralled up, everyone needs to do everything they can for the sake of our community.”

The Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair will resume May 20 to 23, 2022. The Rodeo’s 75th Anniversary celebration is being postponed to next year.

10 a.m. – Outbreak over at Chilliwack General Hospital, new outbreak at Dufferin Care Centre in Coquitlam

Fraser Health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak over at Chilliwack General Hospital but a new outbreak at Dufferin Care Centre in Coquitlam.

One resident at the long term care home has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

Dufferin Care Centre is a long-term care facility that is owned and operated by Retirement Concepts. The resident is in self-isolation at their home in long-term care.

10 a.m. – Group that tracks COVID-19 in B.C. schools reports 86 new exposures

A group that tracks COVID-19 in B.C. schools reported 86 new exposure events on Monday night.

The B.C. School Covid Tracker says that’s a new daily record.

The group says there have been 4,848 school exposure events since the pandemic broke out affecting 1,145 schools. Of those, 743 schools have had multiple exposure events.

The number of schools the group has tracked with variants of concern is 75. The group also says 59 per cent of B.C. schools have now had exposure events.

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7 a.m. – Most Canadians plan to get COVID 19 vaccine, but safety fears drive hesitancy: poll

5 a.m. – More than 100 passengers arriving at YVR refuse government’s ‘mandatory’ hotel quarantine

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More than 100 passengers arriving at Vancouver International Airport have refused to quarantine at a government-authorized hotel since the “mandatory” three-day quarantine was introduced on Feb. 22.

This comes as the B.C. Centre for Disease Control reported 23 flights either departing or arriving at Vancouver International Airport with a COVID-sick passenger on board since the start of April.

Public Health Agency of Canada spokesperson Tammy Jarbeau said the agency was aware of 106 tickets that had been issued to travellers arriving in B.C. without having booked a GAA (government-authorized accommodation) hotel “and subsequently refusing to go to one” since Feb. 22.

Those people face up to $3,000 a day in fines, Jarbeau said. A three-night stay in a GAA costs around $2,500.

It isn’t known how many of those 106 tickets will be paid or how many may be challenged in court.

COVID-sick passengers continue to pour into B.C. and Canada.

5 a.m. – Henry pleads with B.C. residents to stay close to home as pandemic worsens

With a record number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care and the average daily case count soaring, the provincial health officer pleaded Monday with British Columbians to not leave their neighbourhoods.

“To get to the end as quickly as possible, there are things that we need to do now,” Dr. Bonnie Henry said, as she reported 18 deaths and 3,289 new cases over the past three days.

“That includes staying home, staying in your immediate neighbourhood as much as possible. If you live in North Van, you should not be travelling to Langley or to Richmond. If you live in the Lower Mainland, you should not be travelling to the Island. If you live in Penticton, you should not be going to Sun Peaks or Oliver or Kelowna right now. We need to only do those types of travel if it is essential, and nothing more.”

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Henry said that half of all new cases of COVID-19 being reported in B.C. are variants of concern – in particular the B.1.1.7 variant that is significantly more contagious than the original virus identified in China in December, 2019.

12 a.m. – B.C. reports 18 deaths and 3,289 cases over the past three days

On Monday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry eported 3,289 new cases of COVID-19 over three days and 18 deaths.

Henry said that half of all the 9,937 active cases of the disease in B.C. are variants of concern (primarily B.1.1.7) and 368 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 including 121 in intensive care.

She said B.C. was in its third wave of infection since the pandemic was declared in Mar. 2020.

The has been 1,112,101 doses of vaccine administered, including 87,744 second doses. This means 1,024,357 people have received vaccine.

Henry said people should not leave their municipality due to the province’s worsening COVID situation.

-David Carrigg

12 a.m. – Those 55 and older can now register for vaccine

Health Minister Adrian Dix has unveiled an expedited age-based vaccination registration schedule that allows all British Columbians 55 years old and older to register today for their COVID-19 shot.

The new registration schedule follows with the 50-plus crowd (born 1971 or earlier) on Wednesday, the 45-plus cohort (born 1976 or earlier) on Friday, and 40-plus cohort,(born 1981 or earlier) on Monday, April 19.

Once registered, you will then wait to be contacted by health officials to book your vaccine appointment.

British Columbians can register online at gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated, by telephone through a provincial call centre at 1-833-838-2323 or in-person at the nearest Service B.C. location.

You must provide:
• First and last name;
• date of birth;
• postal code;‡
• personal health number (PHN) from the back of B.C. driver’s licences or BC services cards;
• current contact information, including an email address or phone number to receive texts.

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B.C. VACCINE TRACKER

LOCAL RESOURCES for COVID-19 information

Here are a number of information and landing pages for COVID-19 from various health and government agencies.

• B.C. COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool

• Vancouver Coastal Health – Information on Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

• HealthLink B.C. – Coronavirus (COVID-19) information page

• B.C. Centre for Disease Control – Novel coronavirus (COVID-19)

• Government of Canada – Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outbreak update

• World Health Organization – Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak

– With files from The Canadian Press