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“We want everyone to be safe — it’s not to go and break up parties, necessarily,” said Dix. “But our purpose is to do as broad a survey of what’s going on as possible, to do enforcement and to use that as we always do, as, as more evidence, for further action that we may take.”

The problem is particularly acute in Metro Vancouver, said Dix, where new COVID-19 cases are generally centred around clusters of young people partying.

B.C. is on track to see continued increases in COVID-19 cases, after several weeks of steadily increasing case numbers, according to new modelling released Thursday. Henry and Dix have called the numbers concerning, and encouraged young people, especially, to double-down on limits to their social bubbles and resist the urge to gather for parties during the warm summer weather.

Premier John Horgan has said the province has resisted penalizing people for breaking the rules during the pandemic but is willing to reconsider that approach if numbers continue to rise. B.C. recorded 84 new cases Friday, with 12 people in hospital and four people in intensive care. More than 2,026 people are in isolation and being monitored due to potential exposure.

The case growth prompted the weekend inspection blitz, said Dix.

“A strong reminder was required and that strong reminder will be backed up by our teams,” he said.

In Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), one strip club has been ordered closed by health officials in recent weeks for breaking the rules, and a second closed voluntarily. Several nightclubs have also stopped operating, or modified their rules, after clashes with public health staff.