B.C. health officials are reporting 694 new cases of COVID-19 in the province today, for a provincial total of 35,422 total cases of the virus since the pandemic began.
There were another 82 new cases in Interior Health, which now has 609 active cases, with 16 people in hospital, four in intensive care.
Active cases provincewide are now at 9,103 – a new record – with 325 people in hospital, 80 in ICU.
Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, also reported 12 more deaths eight in Fraser Health and four in Vancouver Coastal Health – the tenth straight day the province has seen double-digit deaths from the virus. Interior Health says there was an additional death in the Interior which will be reflected on the BC CDC dashboard tomorrow due to data reporting cut offs – taking the death toll across the province to 482 people.
The victim was a man in his 80s at Mountainview Village in Kelowna, the first death in long term care in the health authority, and fourth overall.
“We offer our condolences to the family and caregivers during this difficult time. Interior Health will continue working closely with Mountainview’s administration and staff as we combat COVID-19 together,” IHA President and CEO Susan Brown said, in a statement.
“We all have a role to play to stop the spread in our communities, and I’m asking everyone to stick close to home right now and keep to your household. Limiting spread in our communities will help keep COVID-19 out of our long-term care facilities and help protect our most vulnerable.”
There are now three cases of COVID-19 associated with the outbreak at Mountainview Village as another staff member has tested positive. IHA says this person worked for a short time on the first floor of the building, and so the outbreak – which was declared on Nov. 30 – has been expanded to the first floor as well.
Vaccine roll-out plan coming next week: Dr. Henry
Dr. Henry says they will unveil a COVID-19 vaccine roll-out plan next week, noting an emergency response committee has been set up. Yesterday, she said that the does not expect immunization to be mandatory in the province, but will be strongly recommending that workers in certain industries get the vaccine when it is available.
The first people to get the vaccine will be the most vulnerable, Henry said today, noting that includes seniors, particularly those in long term care facilities, along with health care workers.
“We know we will have limited amounts at first, so we won’t be able to achieve herd immunity right away, but that will come,” she said, noting she expects the first doses of the vaccine to arrive in the coming weeks. “For now, we must all stay strong.”
“I recognize that this sacrifice is one that all of us are taking. I know that we have seen sacrifices from people everywhere in B.C.”
Henry said the committee is currently anticipating any challenges and roadblocks that may come up so it can be addressed as soon as possible.
There are now 10,849 people isolating after being exposed to the virus, and 24,928 people are considered to have recovered – roughly 70 per cent of the total.
