Photo: BC gov. Flickr

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix.

In the past 24 hours, 509 more British Columbians were diagnosed with COVID-19, including 86 in the Interior Health region.

The new cases bring the total positive tests in B.C. to 60,117, but there remains 4,604 active cases. Active cases across the province have continued to drop in recent weeks, dropping by 20 since Thursday.

Of the active cases, 349 people are hospitalized, a drop of 13 since Thursday, and 68 are in intensive care.

Nine more people have died from COVID-19 in B.C., including two residents of Vernon's Heritage Square long-term care home. To date, 1,047 British Columbians have died from the virus in B.C.

Another 6,168 people received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in B.C., for a total of 75,914.

A new outbreak was declared at Hilltop House care home in Squamish, while two other care home outbreaks were declared over.

Outbreaks remain at 10 Interior long-term care homes and at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake, where six staff member have tested positive.

Earlier Friday, the federal government announced production issues will temporarily reduce the number of Pfizer vaccines shipped to Canada. Health Minister Adrian Dix said the reduction would have a significant impact in B.C. in the next few weeks, but they would be providing information on that “in the coming days.”

Photo: Castanet News