Health officials announce 41 new COVID-19 cases on Vancouver Island

Health officials announce 41 new COVID-19 cases on Vancouver Island
Province of BC

British Columbia is reporting 569 new cases of COVID-19 for the entire province in the last 24-hours with three additional deaths in that span.

Of the 569 new cases, 41 are linked to the Island Health region.

There are currently 4,912 active cases in British Columbia, while over 8,900 residents remain under active public health monitoring.

Dr. Bonnie Henry says that 244 are in hospital with 68 people in critical care as a result of the virus.

Since Wednesday’s numbers, there have been 140 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 301 in the Fraser Health region, 41 in the Island Health region, 26 in the Interior Health region, 60 in the Northern Health region and one new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.

There were three additional deaths related to the virus on Thursday. This brings the provincial death total over the course of the pandemic to 1,397.

Also as of Thursday, the total number of cases in British Columbia over the course of the pandemic has reached 86,219.

There are currently nine active outbreaks in long-term care facilities across the province and eight in acute care.

There have been 11 new confirmed COVID-19 cases that are variants of concern as well, according to officials. This brings the total number of variant cases to 638.

Of these cases, 89 are active, including 588 cases of the B.1.1.7 (U.K.) variant, 36 cases of the B.1.351 (South Africa) variant and 14 cases of the P.1 (Brazil) variant.

To date, 366,791 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in B.C., 87,009 of which are second doses.

Vaccine appointment bookings are open for people over 85 and Indigenous people over 65.

During a live press conference on Thursday, Dr. Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix revealed the latest modelling data in British Columbia on the one-year anniversary of the global pandemic.

Today’s modelling shows us how the COVID-19 pandemic has progressed in the province over the past year. What we have seen very clearly is no one is immune to the virus or the impacts that come with it. The pandemic is still very much with us,” reads a joint statement from Dr. Henry and Minister Adrian Dix.

“The most effective tools we had to control the spread of the virus have been the public health restrictions combined with your individual efforts.”

As hospitalizations and death numbers decline across the province, the provincial health officer unveiled that restrictions on outdoor gatherings were being eased as well.

British Columbians are now able to connect with up to 10 people in an outdoor setting. The restrictions for indoor gatherings remain in place.

Island Health

According to the latest data provided by Island Health, there are currently 219 active cases on Vancouver Island.

Of the active cases, 65 are on southern Vancouver Island, 112 on central Vancouver Island and 42 on northern Vancouver Island.

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.

Over the course of the pandemic, the Island Health region has reported 2,641 cases.

Graham CoxGraham Cox

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