British Columbia health officials have reported 522 new cases – including 7 in Island Health – and 21 deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours.
The number of confirmed cases in B.C. climbs to 43,463 while the province’s death toll now stands at 668.
Of the new cases, 338 were recorded in Fraser Health, 84 in Vancouver Coastal Health, 7 in Island Health, 56 in Interior Health, and 37 in Northern Health.
There are currently 9,860 active cases in the province, 361 people in hospital — 93 of whom are in intensive care — and 10,768 people under active public health monitoring due to possible exposure to an identified case.
On a positive note, 31,866 people in B.C. have recovered from COVID-19.
The announcement of 21 deaths comes on the same day that the very first people in B.C. received the new COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, called it a momentous occasion.
“Today is a momentous day in our province with the start of our first COVID-19 vaccine clinics. With immunizations now underway, those who are most vulnerable to severe illness have one more layer of protection that will get stronger as each new person gets immunized,” Henry said in a statement.
Island Health
The number of active COVID-19 cases on Vancouver Island has declined by roughly 60 per cent in the past seven days.
This time last week there were over 200 active cases, but today there are 82 active cases on the Island – 32 in south Island, 37 in central Island and 19 in the north Island.
Only the north Island has seen its active case number climb since Dec. 11, but only slightly.
Over the course of the pandemic, the Island Health region has reported 794 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Of those 259 are in the south Island, 358 are in the central Island, and 177 are in the north Island.
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Southern Vancouver Island includes the Greater Victoria region, Southern Gulf Islands and the Port Renfrew area.
Central Vancouver Island includes the Cowichan Valley, Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni and Tofino areas.
Northern Vancouver Island goes from the Comox Valley to Port Hardy but also includes surrounding areas like Alert Bay and Sointula.
National landscape
There are now more than 468,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada, according to Health Canada’s website.
Quebec has recorded the most cases and deaths of any province or territory with more than 165,000 cases and 7,533 deaths.
British Columbia’s rate of testing for COVID-19 remains among the lowest in Canada, with a rate of 170,790 tests per 1,000,000 people.
Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island all have higher rates than British Columbia.
Source: Health Canada
Nicholas Pescod
