COVID-19 update: B.C. adds 655 new cases, 2 related deaths

Vancouver -

B.C. is reporting 655 new cases of COVID-19 and two new deaths related to the virus.

The latest numbers, announced Tuesday in a statement from the Ministry of Health, bring the province's seven-day case average to 685, up from 683 on Monday.

Fifteen of the new cases are epidemiologically linked.

The new cases bring the province’s total number of infections up to 166,068. Of those cases, 6,045 are active.

The number of patients in intensive care has increased to 103 from 91 on Monday, and the number of people in hospital due to COVID-19 has increased to 187 from 176. The remaining number of people still dealing with an active case are recovering at home in self-isolation.

Both of the latest deaths occurred in the Island Health region, officials said.

The newly recorded cases come from around the province, but more than a third of them are concentrated in Interior Health. Of the new cases, 186 are in Fraser Health, 99 are in Vancouver Coastal Health, 60 are in Northern Health, 68 are in Island Health and 242 are in Interior Health.No new cases were recorded among people who normally reside outside of Canada.

As of Aug. 31, 84.3 per cent of people 12 and older have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 76.5 per cent have received two doses. That means the province has administered 3,908,860 first doses and 3,547,751 second doses.

People who are unvaccinated remain more likely to be hospitalized due to COVID-19. The latest data, which covers Aug. 16 to 29 shows that those who aren’t fully vaccinated account for more than 80 per cent of new cases and nearly 89 per cent of hospitalizations.

One new COVID-19 outbreak in a healthcare setting was also announced. The outbreak, which is at Kamloops Seniors Village, is located within the Interior Health authority. There are now 19 active healthcare facility outbreaks in B.C., 13 of which are in Interior Health.

B.C. is currently weathering a fourth wave of infections and has reintroduced its indoor mask mandate to curb the spread of the virus.

The slight increase in the average number of daily cases comes on the same day that health officials shared new modelling data showing the province could approach record case levels by late September under a "moderate transmission" scenario.

B.C.'s record for the most cases announced in a single day was 1,293 on April 18. One modelling projection shared Tuesday by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry showed that new case counts could reach approximately 1,200 per day by Sept. 27. However, a more optimistic projection showed that new daily cases could gradually decrease below 500 per day by mid-September.