VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) — B.C. has recorded its highest number of new COVID-19 cases in more than a month, but the number of hospitalizations remains stable.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix announced 617 new cases Thursday, along with four more deaths.
Of the new cases, 488 were on the Lower Mainland, while there were 92 in the Northern Health region, prompting Henry and Dix to remind people to follow the rules, wear their masks, and wash their hands.
“Equally important is the need to ensure you are following all province-wide public health orders and restrictions – especially with the uptick in cases in the Lower Mainland and northern region,” the statement reads.
“We all know what we need to do. Until we have widespread vaccine availability, these small steps make a big difference in helping to keep all of us safe.”
BC #covid19 status Feb 18
Bad: 600+ cases first time since Jan 8th (when coincidentally was also 617 cases)
Case surge in Fraser and North
Ppl monitored & Active cases up by a couple hundred
Good/bad: hospitalization/ICU remaining same
Good: deaths much lower#bcpoli @NEWS1130 https://t.co/7I2jB5ad9Q pic.twitter.com/IV24ZQr4cI— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) February 19, 2021
New healthcare outbreaks have been declared at Mission Memorial Hospital and Fleetwood Villa, which is an assisted living facility in Surrey. A community outbreak has been declared at the Simon Fraser University Childcare Centre.
There are 224 people who are in the hospital, 60 in the Intensive Care Unit.
Health officials say the province has administered 180, 691 doses of vaccine, 29,952 are second doses.
