BC announces 559 new cases, including 43 in Interior Health region

The provincial government has announced 559 new coronavirus cases, including 43 in the Interior Health region.

The new cases bring B.C.’s total since the pandemic started to 77,822, although the vast majority have already recovered. There are 4,677 active cases in the province.

There are 238 people hospitalized with the virus in B.C., 69 of whom are in the ICU.

There was just one new COVID-19 death reported, a community/hospital death in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said there were no new cases confirmed in the province’s long-term senior care system, something that is thanks to B.C.’s slowly-ramping-up vaccine program.

She said data from the BCCDC shows the COVID-19 vaccine has been up to 80 per cent effective in two to three weeks after just the first dose.

“This is a success that we need to appreciate and celebrate,” she said.

There have been 224,000 vaccine doses distributed to date and 58,896 second doses, mostly in long term care.

Photo: Castanet Staff