VICTORIA - British Columbia reported three additional deaths related to COVID-19 and 48 new cases of the respiratory virus on Monday.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said 472 people in B.C. have tested positive for COVID-19.
The majority of the people who have tested positive for COVID-19 are living in the Lower Mainland, with 248 people in the Vancouver Coastal health region and 150 people in the Fraser region, she said.
Vancouver Island has 39 cases, the Interior 30 and there are five in northern B.C., said Henry.
The three deaths brings the total number of fatalities related to the new coronavirus to 13.
"We are very saddened, of course, by the passing of these people," Henry said in announcing the latest deaths.
She said of the three deaths, two were connected to long-term care facilities in Metro Vancouver at the Lynn Valley Care Centre and Haro Park, with the third person being a resident in the Fraser Health region.
Henry said 100 people with the novel coronavirus in B.C. are now considered recovered and can be released from isolation.
"That is a really good thing to be able to put that on our books, finally," she told a news conference.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said B.C.'s recent move to cancel elective and scheduled surgeries has increased the number of beds available at B.C. hospitals in anticipation of "things about to come."
He said hospital bed capacity in B.C. regularly measures just above 100 per cent, but in the past week the capacity dropped to 68.6 per cent, with 3,632 available beds.
"We are preparing for the circumstances that are before us," Dix said. "We are preparing for the weeks that are to come."
Henry said she senses people in B.C. have grasped the necessity of following her recent orders to stay home if sick, self-isolate for 14 days if recently travelled and to practise physical distancing from others when outside.
She said she never imagined in her 30 years in public health that she would close schools and order people to keep their distance from each other.
"We're seeing people come to that recognition and there's been a transition over this past week," she said. "Just reflect on the monumental changes that we have asked society to do."
