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More than 200 new COVID-19 cases linked to Fraser Health region: Dr. Henry

Provincial health officer appeals to people to keep gatherings small
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Signs at a new COVID-19 testing and collection centre at 14577 66th Ave. in Surrey. It was relocated from an urgent primary care centre near Surrey Memorial Hospital. This new centre allows for up to 800 tests per day, which is 550 more than the previous centre, according to Fraser Health. (Photo: Lauren Collins)

The majority of new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours have been linked to the Fraser Health region, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said at a press conference Thursday (Oct. 22).

She said 203 of the 274 new cases are linked to the region, largely as a result of social gatherings.

“Weddings, funerals and other life events need to be small, as small as possible,” Henry said, noting the gatherings should be limited to one household only, and at max a pandemic bubble of six or fewer.

“The risk is too high for all of us.”

She said that cases from social gatherings were “spilling over” and infecting people not connected to the event.

“Social gatherings, especially recently weddings and other celebrations, are proving to be high risk for all of us,” Henry said.

“These events have caused clusters and outbreaks that have now spilled over to our health-care system.”

However, Henry stopped short of issuing any new public health orders related to gatherings. She did appeal to people hosting weddings or other events in recent weeks to keep events small, and not push the limit to the 50 person gathering max.

“I ask you to not invite others to your gathering right now,” Henry said, and to not get offended if friends and family decline invitations.

Gatherings should be household-only, she said, or at max a six-person pandemic bubble.

“The risk is too high for all of us.”

READ MORE: B.C shatters single-day COVID-19 record with 274 new cases; most linked to gatherings


@katslepian

katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

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