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COVID-19 update: B.C. averages fewer than 100 cases per day over the weekend

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British Columbia averaged fewer than 100 new cases of COVID-19 per day over the weekend, health officials revealed Monday after announcing the province is moving into the next phase of its restart plan.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said only 277 infections were identified over the three 24-hour reporting periods beginning Friday afternoon.

That includes just 68 detected from Sunday to Monday, which represents the lowest single-day increase in cases since September.

B.C. also recorded four more coronavirus-related fatalities over the weekend, bringing the province's death toll to 1,734.

"Our condolences are with the family, friends and caregivers of the people who have died as a result of COVID-19," Henry and Dix said in a joint written statement.

The number of people battling COVID-19 in hospital fell to 136 – a 16 per cent drop from Friday – while patients in intensive care decreased to 42.

B.C.'s active caseload also fell to 1,537, a drop of more than 300 from the last update. The number of active cases across the province hasn't been that low since Oct. 16.

Meanwhile, the province celebrated another vaccine milestone after surpassing four million doses administered in total.

That includes 154,765 given out over the weekend, the majority of which were second shots. B.C. has now administered 4,048,346 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines, including enough first shots to partially vaccinate 75.9 per cent of all adults in the province and 74.1 per cent of those 12 and older.

Henry and Dix have credited widespread immunization for the progress in controlling COVID-19 transmission, which has allowed officials to relax several restrictions in the province. But they have also stressed that more people must get registered and receive both doses to ensure the province keeps moving in the right direction, particularly as the Delta variant circulates in communities.

"Our target immunization rate is 100% – to get as many people fully vaccinated as soon as we can – so please register and book your appointments as soon as you are eligible," they said.

"Let’s keep moving forward safely as we enter this exciting next stage in B.C.'s restart plan."

Step 2 of the province's reopening begins on Tuesday, and will allow residents to travel recreationally anywhere in B.C. and host gatherings of up to 50 people outdoors.

Of the 146,453 cases of COVID-19 identified across B.C. so far, about 98 per cent – or 143,147 people – have recovered.

 

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