20 COVID-19 deaths recorded over the weekend in B.C., latest update says

Vancouver -

Twenty more people have died of COVID-19 in a 72-hour period in B.C.

During the same three days, another 1,618 cases of the disease were confirmed.

This brings the rolling seven-day case count average down to 605 per day, from 638 on Friday.

The new numbers came in a written updated provided Monday by the Ministry of Health.

There were 613 cases identified between Friday and Saturday, followed by 529 between Saturday and Sunday, and 476 between Sunday and Monday.

Another 1,730 people recovered from COVID-19 over the weekend as well, pushing the number of active cases to 4,966, down from 5,106 on Friday.

Of the active cases, 366 people are in hospital and 149 are in intensive care. The remaining people are at home recovering in self-isolation.

The 20 deaths were spread out over B.C.’s five health authorities. Four people died in Fraser Health, three died in Vancouver Coastal Health, six died in Interior Health, four died in Northern Health and three died in Island Health.

The latest numbers on vaccines show that more and more B.C. residents are getting vaccinated against COVID-19. As of Monday, 90 per cent of eligible adults have received their first dose, and 85 per cent have received their second. Province-wide, among people 12 and older, 89.6 per cent have received at least one dose – up from 89.4 per cent on Friday – and 84.4 per cent have received two doses - up from 83.9 per cent on Friday.

B.C. health officials also confirmed that there have were five new COVID-19 outbreaks at health-care facilities recorded over the weekend. Four outbreaks – at Chilliwack General Hospital, Valleyhaven Retirement Community, Harrison Pointe, and Norman Manor – are in Fraser Health and one outbreak, at Amica Edgemont retirement home, is in Vancouver Coastal Health.

The outbreak at Tofino General Hospital, located in the Island Health authority, has been declared over. This, combined with previously reported outbreaks, means there’s a total of 29 active outbreaks in health-care settings.

Much of B.C.’s Northern Health region is currently under stricter COVID-19 health measures than the rest of the province, in order to address the high rates of transmission seen in that area. Over the weekend’s three-day reporting period there were 289 new cases recorded in the north. The only health authority that saw a higher number of new cases is Fraser Health, which say 699 new case. But per capita, Northern Health’s case rate is higher – the health authority recorded 101.6 cases per 100,000 population over the weekend, compared to 36.6 per 100,000 in Fraser Health.

Meanwhile, there were 190 new cases recorded in Vancouver Coastal Health, 254 new cases in Interior Health and 186 new cases in Island Health. No new cases among people who normally reside outside of Canada were recorded, but there are still 59 active cases among this group.

Monday's update comes as vaccine rules in the province increase. As of Sunday, proof of vaccination to access many non-essential businesses in the province requires two doses, not just one. As well, health-care workers must show proof they're vaccinated by Tuesday or face consequences. 

But with those additional rules, some restrictions are easing. As of Monday, capacity limits at many venues in the province where no regional restrictions are in place have lifted. 

On Friday, B.C.'s case average was the second highest of any province or territory in Canada, behind Alberta.