(CFJC Today/File photo).
COVID-19

B.C. surpasses 20,000 active cases before 2022, Interior Health at 1,792 active

Dec 31, 2021 | 4:40 PM

KAMLOOPS — New Year’s Eve was not another record-breaking day for new COVID-19 cases in B.C.

The Ministry of Health reports 3,795 new cases for Friday (Dec. 31) with 320 of them in Interior Health.

However, active cases surpassed the 20,000 mark, sitting at 20,811 prior to the new year (up by 3,454 since Thursday). Within Interior Health, active cases increased to 1,792 (up by 79).

Of the provincial active cases, 220 patients are in hospital (up by nine) with 73 in intensive care (up by seven).

Elsewhere, 1944 new cases were reported in Fraser Health (9,050 active), 965 in Vancouver Coastal Health (7,135), 434 in Island Health (2,336), and 129 in Northern Health (494).

Three new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, none in Interior Health, for a provincial total of 2,423.

Two new healthcare facility outbreaks were declared on Friday, one in Vancouver Coastal Health and one in Island Health, for a provincial active total of 15. Including Ridgeview Lodge in Kamloops.

As of Friday (Dec. 31 88.1 per cent (4,392,141) of eligible people five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 82.9 per cent (4,133,438) have received their second.