VICTORIA — British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix says he's grateful not to have to add more people to the COVID-19 death count of 167.
The province announced no new deaths on Monday and 30 cases of the virus over the last three days.
B.C. now has a total of 2,659 COVID-19 cases, while 2,309 people have recovered.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says people planning summer holidays within B.C. must take precautions to protect the communities they visit from the virus.
She says travellers should practise physical distancing, stay home if sick and place as light a burden as possible on the services available in the smaller B.C. communities they may visit.
Dix says the federal government has jurisdiction over Canada's borders, but he recommends against tourist travel across the United States-Canada border because of the recent increases in COVID-19 cases in neighbouring states of Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and Nevada.
The federal government announced a loosening of the ban on non-essential travel across the border Monday to allow some families to reunite, but anyone entering Canada still must self-isolate for 14 days.
Henry says people attending weekend protest gatherings across B.C. must monitor their health over the coming days.
"I implore people to make sure you are not going to bring this back to your families and loved ones and your community," she said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 8, 2020.
The Canadian Press
