B.C. Covid update Monday: 2,491 new cases, 17 deaths

British Columbia had 2,491 new Covid-19 cases over the weekend, which is an average of 830 a day.

That’s down from the province’s seven-day average of 954 a day.

Interior Health had 206 of the cases, with 466 in Vancouver Coastal Health, 632 in Fraser Health, 82 in Island Health, 104 in Northern Health and one person who normally resides outside Canada.

There were 17 more Covid-related deaths, which Dr. Bonnie Henry said ranged in age from a person in their 50s, to two people in their 90s.

“This shows us how devastating this virus can be on people who are older,” Henry remarked.

Dr. Henry said a coroners report has now confirmed Covid-19 as the cause of death for an infant from Interior Health, making the infant the youngest person in B.C. to die of the virus. The infant died in January, but the coroners report was just completed last week.

The case counts by day were 881 from Friday to Saturday, 847 from Saturday to Sunday and 763 from Sunday to Monday.

Total cases in B.C. are now 126,249.

There are 8,199 active cases, with 484 people in hospital and 158 in critical or intensive care.

As for the vaccines: 1,635,372 doses have been administered with 89,035 second doses.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said they expect 138,060 doses of Pfizer to arrive Tuesday (Apr. 27). They expect more Moderna vaccines by the end of the week, 82,300 doses. No new doses of AstraZeneca vaccines are expected this week.

Everyone over 18 can register for a vaccine on the Get Vaccinated website.

Update on outbreaks:

·        Cottonwoods Care Centre long-term care in Kelowna has 29 cases: 26 residents and three staff, with two deaths connected to the outbreak.

·        Orchard Haven long-term care in Keremeos has two cases: one resident and one staff.

·        Sandalwood Retirement Resort independent living in Kelowna has 25 cases: 24 residents and one staff, with one death connected to the outbreak.