All bars and clubs have been ordered to shut down on one of the most popular drinking days of the year.

On Tuesday, which also happens to be St. Patrick's Day, BC’s chief medical officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the order as part of the province's public health emergency declaration.

The new move allows restaurants to remain open only if they can provide enough room to allow for "social distancing" which was clarified as being at least two metres or six feet apart.

As per previous regulations, there's also to be no more than 50 people gathered in an establishment at once.

During the province's health officials' daily news brief, Dr. Henry confirmed 83 new cases, bringing BC's total up to 186 with seven of those cases being in acute care in hospitals.

Restaurants and cafes are also still permitted to offer take out and curbside pickup orders.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix give an update to the media on COVID-19 in BC.



For the latest updates and answers to common questions about #COVID19 follow @CDCofBC and see https://t.co/dt8VQCCIR0 https://t.co/nEqCD7vSn1 — BC Government News (@BCGovNews) March 17, 2020

It's the second time BC has declared a public health emergency, the first being during the opioid overdose crisis of 2016.

“We’ve taken a number of unprecedented measures in the last few days,” said Dr. Henry of the declaration.

“This declaration of an emergency allows me to be faster, more streamlined and nimble in the things we need to do right now.”