Interior Health’s active COVID-19 cases surpass 600

The active COVID-19 case count for Interior Health climbed to 612 as 145 new cases were confirmed in the region Tuesday.

The cases were part of 519 identified across B.C. The provincial active case count also rose to 3,171 Tuesday.

Among B.C.’s COVID-19 cases are 44 Omicron variant cases, three of which are located in the Interior.

The Ministry of Health says that, as of Tuesday, 191 British Columbians are in hospital due to complications from COVID-19, including 81 intensive care patients. There were no new deaths announced today.

The provincial vaccination rates made slight gains Tuesday, rising to 86.6 per cent for first doses for everyone aged 5 and over and 82.4 per cent for second doses.

The ministry noted that 91.5 per cent of British Columbians aged 12 and over have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 88.6 per cent have received two jabs, and 13 per cent have had a booster or a third shot.

There were no new health-care facility outbreaks identified Tuesday. There remains three facilities classified as active outbreak sites, including the Ponderosa Lodge in Kamloops.