Interior Health saw exactly half of the new COVID-19 cases reported across the province on Wednesday.

Health officials have reported 342 new cases with 171 of those in the Interior, a health region with just under 15 per cent of B.C.’s population.

There were also 66 new cases in Fraser Health, 57 in Vancouver Coastal Health, 32 in Island Health and 13 in Northern Health, as well as three cases among out-of-province residents.

Active cases have risen to 1,764 across B.C., which is almost double the active cases from a week ago, July 28, when there were 909 active cases, and well above the 729 active cases two weeks ago, on July 21.

Hospitalizations have continued a very slow rise over the past two weeks, with now 55 people in hospital and 23 of those people in intensive care.

The surge in new cases continues as the province continues to try and push more people to receive a COVID-19, which has proven to reduce the spread and severity of the virus and has allowed businesses and other parts of society to return to closer-to-normal operations.

As of today, 81.5 per cent of people aged 12 and older in B.C. have gotten at least one vaccine dose, while 67.9 per cent of those people are fully vaccinated. There were only 29,495 vaccine doses administered today, and now 6,931,815 doses administered since December.

Health authorities have been promoting “walk-in Wednesday,” where people can go into vaccine clinics all across B.C. without a first or second dose to receive a vaccine.

In Kamloops, the Tournament Capital Centre is providing vaccines between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. today, with live jazz music and therapy dogs on site as well. It also said the first 100 people to attend the clinic today would receive a coupon for a free smoothie.