COVID case surge in B.C. coming from Interior

Jul 28, 2021 | 3:50 PM Pete McIntyre

Interior Health (IH) continues to power a resurgence in new COVID-19 cases in British Columbia.

The IH region had 113 new cases on Wednesday, which was 61 per cent of the 185 new cases in the province.

Next highest was Fraser Health with 35 cases.

Most of the new cases in IH are coming from the Central Okanagan, mostly unvaccinated people between the ages of 20 and 40, and health officials have introduced new restrictions in that area to reduce the spread.

Interior Health now has 503 active cases, which is more than half of the 909 cases in B.C.

Of the active cases provincially, 47 people are in hospital (five in IH) and 20 are in intensive care.

In the last 24 hours, three new deaths (Vancouver Coastal Health) have been reported, for an overall total of 1,771.

The new/active cases include:

* 35 new cases in Fraser Health
* Total active cases: 208

* 26 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health
* Total active cases: 136

* 113 new cases in Interior Health
* Total active cases: 503

* two new cases in Northern Health
* Total active cases: 16

* eight new cases in Island Health
* Total active cases: 41

* one new case of a person who resides outside of Canada
* Total active cases: five

As of July 28, 80.9 per cent (3,747,391) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 63.2 per cent (2,931,128) have had two doses.

In addition, 81.8 per cent (3,538,565) of eligible adults have had one dose and 66.1 per cent (2,857,809) have had two.