By Dylana Kneeshaw

BC COVID-19 UPDATE

Interior records 31 new COVID-19 cases as province reports four new virus-related deaths

Mar 17, 2021 | 4:43 PM

VICTORIA — B.C.’s new COVID-19 case count dipped below the 500 mark today (Mar. 17), with 498 new cases reported.

However provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says there were four new virus-related fatalities, for a total of 1,411 deaths in B.C.

In an emailed statement, Dr. Henry states there are now 4,891 active cases in B.C., with 9,472 people under active public health monitoring.

In the Interior Health region, BC CDC data shows 352 active cases. Sixteen people are currently hospitalized with five individuals in critical or intensive care.

Around B.C., there are 281 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 83 of whom in intensive care. A further 83,083 people who tested positive have recovered.

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The new cases bring B.C.’s total since the pandemic arrived to 89,427, spread out as follows:

• 20,931 — Vancouver Coastal (up by 128)
• 52,323 — Fraser Health (up by 291)
• 2,800 — Island Health (up by 12)
• 7,904 — Interior Health (up by 31)
• 5,307 — Northern Health (up by 46)
• 162 — Reside outside of Canada (unchanged).

Due to a lab sequencing issue, the province states that no new variant of concern data is available today. At last report, there have been 996 confirmed cases in B.C. that are variants of concern.

On the vaccination front, 444,140 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca-SII COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, including 87,093 second doses.

Vaccine appointment bookings are currently open for people over age 82, adding one year each day this week for people 80 and older by the end of the week, along with Indigenous peoples over 65.