Interior records 96 COVID-19 cases, one death

The Interior continues to have the highest concentration of new COVID-19 cases in B.C.

Interior Health reported 96 new cases of the virus Thursday. Island Health had the second highest number of new cases at 60, followed by Fraser Health with 54 cases.

These were part of 271 cases confirmed throughout the province.

There were six deaths linked to the virus in B.C., one of which was in the Interior. To date, 2,981 British Columbians have died due to COVID-19, with 365 of those deaths having come from the Interior.

The number of British Columbians in hospital with COVID-19 fell by three to 255, but the number of patients in intensive care with the virus rose by three to 52.

The provincial COVID-19 vaccination rate for eligible residents age five and older was recorded at 90.8 per cent for first dose and 87.1 per cent for second jabs. Additionally, 57.2 per cent of British Columbians aged 12 and over had received a booster shot.

There were no new health-care facilities identified as a COVID-19 outbreak site, but one on Vancouver Island was declared over. As of Thursday, there were four active outbreak sites, the sole facility on that list in the Interior was the Hillside Village nursing home in Salmon Arm.