bc B.C. hits highest ever count for active COVID-19 cases after confirming 236 new infections Deputy provincial health officer says 2 more people have died of disease, bringing death toll to 198. British Columbia's surge in new COVID-19 cases is showing no sign of slowing, with another 236 cases confirmed since Friday afternoon. There are now 743 active cases of the illness in the province, which is the highest total to date, and the addition of 100 new cases on Saturday marked the highest one-day tally so far. Monday's briefing was led by Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Réka Gustafson, who said another two people have died from the novel coronavirus in B.C., bringing the province's total to 198. She said the majority of new cases continue to involve young people, who often have mild versions of the COVID-19 illness caused by the virus. "This actually makes things quite challenging. That's because some people might not realize they have COVID-19, and they can inadvertently spread it," Gustafson said.

antibodies Scientists See Signs of Lasting Immunity to Covid-19, Even After Mild Infections In discussions about immune responses to the coronavirus, much of the conversation has focused on antibodies — Y-shaped proteins that can latch onto the surfaces of pathogens and block them from infecting cells. But antibodies represent just one wing of a complex and coordinated squadron of immune soldiers, each with their own unique modes of attack. Viruses that have already invaded cells, for instance, are cloaked from antibodies, but are still vulnerable to killer T cells, which force infected cells to self-destruct. Another set of T cells, nicknamed “helpers,” can coax B cells to mature into antibody-making machines. (Yet another sector of the immune system assails pathogens within minutes of their arrival, while sending out signals called cytokines to mobilize forces from elsewhere in the body. Some evidence suggests that severe cases of Covid-19 may stem from this early process going awry.)