VANCOUVER -- The update came through a joint written statement from Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
Dix and Henry also revealed there were no additional deaths over the past 24 hours, keeping the province's death toll connected to COVID-19 at 203.
Two more outbreaks were also declared: one at Langley Memorial Hospital and another at Bear Creek Villa in Surrey. With those new outbreaks, there are 10 outbreaks at long-term care or assisted living facilities, while two acute-care facilities have outbreaks.
"Currently, 22 individuals are hospitalized with COVID-19, seven of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation," Dix and Henry's statement says.
That number of hospitalizations is the highest the province has had since June 4 and the total number of active cases in B.C. rose to 925, which is the highest active case count ever.
As of Tuesday's update, the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic is 5,242. One of the most recently reported cases was epi-linked, the health officials said.
Most of the cases in B.C. have either been in the Vancouver Coastal Health region or the Fraser Health region with 1,683 and 2,762 cases in each, respectively. Interior Health has recorded 425 cases, Northern Health has recorded 128 and Island Health has recorded 168.
An additional 76 of the reported cases were people who reside outside of Canada.
"Our recent daily cases are higher than many of us are comfortable with, so let’s continue to do our part every moment of every day and keep COVID-19 where it needs to be," the statement says.
"While we would all like to get to zero, we need to rather focus on prevention, detection and rapid response.
"Living with COVID-19 in our communities also means being unrelenting in our commitment to support and care for each other; to reach out to our vulnerable neighbours, friends and family members."
Dix and Henry's statement also pointed to the other ongoing health crisis in B.C., as numbers on overdose deaths in the province were released earlier in the day.
"Many people have lost fathers and mothers, sons and daughters directly to the illness. For others, as evidenced by the latest BC Coroner’s Service report on illicit drug deaths, an existing crisis has worsened as a result of the pandemic," their statement says.
"Our thoughts and condolences also go out to the families and communities of the 175 people we lost to the toxic street drug supply in July."
In their update, Dix and Henry encouraged people to continue taking precautions to curb the spread of COVID-19.
"We have adapted our personal activities and our businesses, because we now understand what we need to do to keep ourselves and those around us safe," the pair said.
"Let’s stay committed to doing our part, to care and protect our most vulnerable and show kindness and compassion to everyone."
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Andrew Weichel
