Interior Health tops province with 280 new COVID-19 cases

Interior Health once again had the most new COVID-19 cases of any health authority in B.C.

The Ministry of Health reported 280 new infections in the Interior Wednesday. Northern Health had the second highest new total at 214.

The new cases were part of 799 across the province. To date, there have been 346,196 confirmed cases of the virus in B.C., and 59,244 in the Interior.

The number of British Columbians hospitalized with COVID-19 fell by 35 to 653 Wednesday, while the number of intensive care patients remained flat at 108. In the Interior there were 156 people in hospital with the virus, 28 of whom were in intensive care.

The sole death linked to the virus Wednesday was located in Northern Health. To date 2,831 British Columbians have died due to COVID-19 complications.

The provincial vaccination rate for residents aged five and over was recorded at 90.5 per cent for first doses and 86 per cent for second jabs Wednesday.

The province notes that 93.2 per cent of British Columbians aged 12 and over and 93.6 per cent of adults in B.C. have received one dose a vaccine. Additionally, 90.6 per cent of those aged 12 and over and 91.1 per cent of adults have received two jabs, while the booster shot rates were recorded at 55 per cent and 57.1 per cent, respectively.

There were no new health-care facilities added to the outbreak list, though two in Island Health were declared over, bringing the total number of active outbreaks in B.C. down to 29, with 10 located in the Interior.

• Glenmore Lodge
• Trinity Care Centre
• Ponderosa
• Castleview Care Centre
• Overlander Residential Care
• Three Links Manor
• Hillside Village
• Polson Long Term Care
• Mission Creek Landing
• Williams Lake Seniors Village