By Dylana Kneeshaw

COVID-19 UPDATE

B.C records 2,206 new COVID-19 cases over five day span, 74 fatalities

Dec 29, 2020 | 3:40 PM

VICTORIA — Provincial health officials are urging residents to avoid New Year’s Eve gatherings – with 2,206 new cases of COVID-19 recorded over the Christmas holidays.

The new cases were counted in a five day span – spread as follows:

• 512 new cases between Thursday and Friday (Dec. 24 – 25)
• 447 new cases between Friday and Saturday (Dec. 25 – 26)
• 424 new cases between Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 26 – 27)
• 441 new cases between Sunday and Monday (Dec. 27 – 28)
• 382 new cases between Monday and Tuesday (Dec. 28 – 29)

In an update today, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says there were 74 further fatalities. 10 of these deaths were recorded within the Interior Health region. This brings the provincial death toll to 882 virus-related deaths since the pandemic arrived in B.C.

The new cases bring the total case count in B.C. to 50,815 – spread through the province as follows:

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• 11,913 — Vancouver Coastal (up 378)
• 32,260 — Fraser Health (up by 1,375)
• 901 — Island Health (up by 44)
• 3,649 — Interior Health (up by 238)
• 1,894 — Northern Health (up by 171)
• 107 — Reside outside of Canada (unchanged)

There are currently 7,580 active cases, with 373 people in hospital and 80 people in intensive care.

Across B.C there are 9,414 people under active public health monitoring – not including those within Northern Health. To date, 41,175 people have recovered.

So far 11,930 people in B.C. have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Henry says of the nearly 12,000 people who have already been immunized, two people have experienced allergic reactions to the vaccine. She says allergic reactions can occasionally occur with vaccinations, and both individuals have fully recovered.

The Moderna vaccine was approved for use on December 23, and shipments have already begun to arrive in B.C. Dr. Henry says doses will be delivered to remote and isolated First Nations communities that have been identified as high-risk, along with other areas in small northern communities.

In regards to the novel coronavirus U.K variant appearing in one British Columbia resident, Dr. Henry says it’s crucial for others to maintain protection measures as the variant is more infectious.

“This variant does not seem to cause more severe illness, nor does it seem to have an effect on both the tests and the vaccines that we’re using here in Canada, but it does seem, although the details are still unclear, it does seem in the U.K that it causes the virus to be more infectious.”

Leading up to New Year’s Eve, Dr. Henry reminded residents to limit social interactions to their household bubble, and stay vigilant.

“With that in mind I want to remind people that our current events and gatherings orders means that any gathering in your home or elsewhere, any social gathering is not allowed at this time,” she says, “That includes at restaurants and bars. There are to be no events in this coming weekend. We must only go to a restaurant with our own household.”