By James Peters / The Canadian Press

COVID-19

Interior Health reaches 250 COVID-19 deaths; new restrictions introduced for Northern Health

Oct 14, 2021 | 5:09 PM

VICTORIA — With five more COVID-19 deaths recorded Thursday (Oct. 14), Interior Health has reached a grim threshold.

According to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, there have been 250 COVID-19 deaths in IH since the pandemic began.

Overall, there were nine more deaths in B.C. Thursday for a total death toll of 2,042 in B.C.

The province saw 580 new cases of the virus, including 104 in Interior Health.

The active caseload in B.C. is now 5,348, with 831 in the Interior. There are 378 people in hospital, including 153 in intensive care.

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Meantime, British Columbia’s provincial health officer has announced new restrictions for the northern health region in an attempt to stop the rapid spread of COVID-19 through those who are unvaccinated.

Personal gatherings indoors and outdoors are restricted to only those who are vaccinated and in-person worship services are cancelled.

Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the further restrictions will continue until Nov. 19.

Henry says the Delta variant spreads faster and causes more severe illness, which is being seen in the north where hospitals are filling with young people who are struggling to breathe.

She says one person in their 20s died in the northern health region today.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says it’s frustrating for people in health care to see people in hospital with severe illness that could be prevented through vaccination.