Story by Catherine Garrett, Vista Radio staff
Provincial health officials say B.C. has reported 2,174 cases of COVID-19 over the weekend.
Of those, 61 were on Vancouver Island and 438 were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, including the Sunshine Coast.
The province’s overall case count has risen to 131,656.
Currently, 7,327 cases are active, of those, 474 people are in hospital and 176 in ICU.
Fifteen people have died from the virus since Friday, as the provincial death toll climbs to 1,596.
In her weekly briefing today (Monday), Provincial Health Officer Doctor Bonnie Henry explained most of the deaths occurred in hospital.
All patients were in their 70s except for one, who was in their 50s.
A total of 1,877,330 B.C. residents have now received at least one dose of a vaccine, with 91,731 total second doses.
Health minister Adrian Dix says 42.53 percent of B.C.’s eligible population have been vaccinated.
Doctor Henry says the province’s vaccine supply will be increasing drastically starting to May, with over one million vaccine doses expected in the province this month.
She says this could change how B.C. schedules vaccines, possibly shortening the 16-week interval between doses.
Everyone in the province aged 18-plus is eligible to register for an appointment and expected to receive at least one shot before Canada Day.
Doctor Henry noted this timeline could become flexible in the coming weeks, as more vaccines arrive in B.C.
The outbreak at the Prince Rupert Hospital has been declared over.
11 outbreaks in the healthcare system remain ongoing.
Meanwhile, 11,781 people are in isolation as a result of exposure.
122,518 have recovered, about 93.1 percent of all cases.
Deaths by region:
Fraser: 9
Vancouver Coastal: 5
Island: 1
Breakdown by day:
Fri-Sat: 835
Sat-Sun: 671
Sun-Mon: 668
Breakdown by region:
Vancouver Coastal: 438
Fraser: 1,509
Island: 61
Interior: 106
North: 60
