Vancouver Island has a new case of COVID-19, one of 34 new cases announced on Wednesday.

It’s an upward trend that provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is hoping to tackle in part with new orders restricting bars and nightclubs.

“The B.C. COVID-19 curve is trending in the direction we do not want,” said Henry. “We all need to take a step back and look at the things that we need to do to bend our curve back down, where we need to keep it.”

The orders will include a requirement that all patrons have a designated seat, along with a ban on dance floors and measures to reduce lineups and pressure points.

Details of the amendments will be posted later today.

Of the 34 new cases of COVID-19 in the province, 31 represent positive tests and three were epidemiologically related to other cases.

There are currently 285 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C.

To date, there have been 3,362 people infected in British Columbia, including 1,049 people in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 1,742 people in the Fraser Health region, 141 people in the Vancouver Island health region, 304 people in the interior Health region, and 69 people in the Northern Health region.

There are three health-care outbreaks, including one in a long-term care home and two in acute-care hospitals.

There are 17 people in hospital with COVID-19, including three in intensive care units.

No new deaths were announced today, leaving the total at 189.

About 1,000 people are in isolation in the province for 14 days because of their close contacts with someone who is infected, and some of those will develop COVID-19, said Henry.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix implored British Columbians not to lose the gains they’ve made.

Dix cited the need for physical distancing, small contact numbers, washing hands regularly for 20 seconds with soap and water, respecting rules put in place by businesses such as restaurants, wearing a mask when physical distancing is not possible, and staying home if sick.

“Our COVID-19 future depends on each one of us.”

ceharnett@timescolonist.com

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