COVID numbers jump significantly as B.C. records 717 new cases

British Columbia announced 717 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday the highest daily case count since May 7 when the number was 722.

No additional deaths were announced on Friday.

In a written statement, the province said there are currently 4,277active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C., the most since May 22.

A total of 82people are in hospital. Of those, 39are in intensive care, upfrom 24a week ago.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are upby 58per cent from last Friday, when 52people were in hospital with the disease.

The provincialdeath toll from the disease is now 1,779lives lost out of 155,079confirmed cases to date.

As of Friday, 82.4per cent of those 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 72per cent a second dose.

So far, 7.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 3.3 million second doses.

Cases increase across all regions

More than half of the new dailyCOVID-19 cases in the province are in the Interior Health region. The one death recorded on Thursday was in the Interior, but other regions are also seeing an increase in new cases as well.

Interior Health says non-essential travel to and from the Central Okanagan should be avoided due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The breakdown of new cases by region is as follows:

• 376 new cases in Interior Health, which has 2,446active cases.
• 140new cases in Fraser Health, which has 821 active cases.
• 101 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, which has 593active cases.
• 40 new cases in Island Health, which has 245active cases.
• 60 new cases in Northern Health, which has 163active cases.
• No new cases of people who reside outside of Canada, a group that has 9active cases.

Trans Mountain Pipeline COVID-19 cluster

Northern Health medical health officers say they are working closelywith the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion projectafter 16 employees and contractors in the Valemount area tested positivefor COVID-19.

According toa statementfromthe health authority Friday, approximately 50 people in close contact with those infected are in self isolation. It said an investigation suggests that majority of the infections were not acquired on the project site.

Northern Health and Trans Mountain saythey have been closely monitoring clusters of COVID-19 cases since the beginning of August and have been working together to reduce the risk of transmission among employees.

Mandatory vaccinations

B.C. health officials announced Thursday that anyone working in long-term care and assisted living facilities in British Columbia will now be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 12.

Volunteers and personal care workers at those facilities will also be required to be fully vaccinated.In the meantime, unvaccinated staff will be tested for the virus regularly.

On Friday, the federal government said the vaccine will also be mandatory for federal employees and those working in some federally regulated industries, including airlines and railways.

The government says it also "expects" that other employers infederally regulated sectors like banking, broadcasting and telecommunications willrequire vaccinations for their employees.

The plan from Ottawa is to have thatmandate in place by the end of October.

British Columbians aged 12 and over who have not yet been immunized can register in three ways:

• Online through theGet Vaccinated portal.
• By calling 1-833-838-2323. Translators are available in 140 languages.
• In person at anyService B.C. location.

People can also be immunized atwalk-in clinics throughout the province.