Over 100 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in the Interior

After a day of declines, the Interior’s COVID-19 numbers are back on the rise, as 101 new cases were confirmed in the Interior.

As of Thursday, the Interior’s active case count was 578, up 41 from the day before.

The new cases were part of 368 recorded across the province. B.C.’s active case count was 3,020.

Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 saw a slight decline, dropping to 284 patients, 97 of whom were in intensive care.

B.C.’s vaccination rates for eligible residents aged five and over climbed to 85 per cent for first doses and 81.8 per cent for second jabs.

Additionally, 91.2 per cent of British Columbians aged 12 and over have received their first doses, and 87.9 per cent are fully immunized.

Looking just at B.C.’s adult population, the vaccination rates are 91.6 per cent for first doses and 88.5 per cent for second shots. The province adds that 10 per cent of B.C.’s adults have received a third dose.

There were five COVID-linked deaths reported in B.C. Thursday, three in Fraser Health and two in Northern Health’s jurisdiction. To date, 2,345 British Columbians have died due to the virus.

The province notes that 54 per cent of new cases reported in the past week have been unvaccinated individuals, while 42.1 per cent of those who have had a positive test have been fully vaccinated.

Over the past two weeks, 64.5 per cent of patients admitted to the hospital due to COVID-19 have been unvaccinated, while 31.9 per cent of patients had received both doses.

Five health-care facilities in British Columbia remain classified as outbreak sites, though none of them are located in the Interior.