British Columbia’s health officials are scheduled to provide a live COVID-19 update on Tuesday, Dec. 29.
The press conference, delivered by Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix, is scheduled for 3 p.m. this afternoon. A live stream will be available on both CHEK’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
The live update from health officials will provide COVID-19 data from across British Columbia for Dec. 24-Dec. 29.
Dr. Henry and Minister Dix haven’t given a live provincial COVID-19 update since Dec. 23, however, in that time, Island Health has declared a new outbreak at Chartwell Malaspina Care Residence long-term care home in Nanaimo.
The most recent COVID-19 update was issued in a written statement on December 24.
In the written statement on Christmas Eve, Dr. Henry and Minister Dix announced that there were 582 new COVID-19 cases in British Columbia.
Of the 582 new cases, 10 were linked to the Island Health region.
On Dec. 24, Island Health also stated there were 65 active cases within the authority – 30 on southern Vancouver Island, 22 on central Vancouver Island and 13 on northern Vancouver Island.
There were also 8,865 active cases in British Columbia, while 9,732 residents remained under active public health monitoring at the time.
In addition to the COVID-19 numbers, Dr. Henry noted that over 8,000 people in the province had been given a vaccine.
More immunizations are expected to arrive this week as well after the Moderna vaccine was approved by Health Canada last Wednesday.
“I am excited and grateful,” said Henry last week. “It is something we have been hoping for some time.”
It’s unclear at the moment as to how many doses of the new vaccine will be coming to B.C., according to Henry, who said the first shipments are expected to arrive in Canada on Dec. 28 and will be distributed to all areas of the province once they arrive in B.C.
“The amount that we have in British Columbia, yet to be fully confirmed, will be going to all areas of the province,” she said. “So, there will be some coming to Vancouver Island … my expectation is it will be sometime next week.
Henry said Island Health is currently working to determine which care facilities on Vancouver Island will receive the Moderna vaccine.
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