B.C. records 405 new cases of COVID-19 and 6 more deaths

B.C. health officials announced 405 new cases of COVID-19 and six more deaths on Friday.

In a written statement, the provincial government said there are currently 3,071active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

A total of 276people are in hospital, with95in intensive care.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by five per cent from last Friday, when 291people were in hospital with the disease and about 37.4per cent from a month ago when 441people were in hospital.

The number of patients in intensive care is down by about 17per cent from 115a week ago and by nearly 26per cent from last month when 129people were in the ICU.

The provincial death toll from COVID-19 is now 2,351 lives lost out of 219,584 confirmed cases to date.

Thereare a total of five active outbreaks in assisted living and long-termand acute care. A new outbreak was declared at Ponderosa Lodge, an assisted living facility in Kamloops, while an outbreak at Peace Villa in Fort St. John was declared over.

Acute care outbreaksinclude:

• Ridge Meadows Hospital
• St. Paul's Hospital

As of Friday, 91.2 per cent of those 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of aCOVID-19 vaccine, 88 per cent asecond dose and 10 per cent a third dose.

When taking into accountthose five and older, 85.1per cent of people in B.C. had received a first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine and 81.8 per cent a second dose.

From Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 58 per cent of cases and from Nov. 18,they accounted for 65.9 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

So far, 8.76million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including over fourmillion second doses.

Dix says province 'ahead of the curve' on boosters

Health Minister Adrian Dix says B.C. is ahead of the schedule in its campaign to roll out COVID-19 booster shots.

It comes after a recommendation from theNational Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) that all those above the age of 50, as well as clinically vulnerable people, should get a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Currently in B.C., booster shots are being given to those aged above 70, as well as certain immunocompromised people, health-care workers,and Indigenous people above the age of 18.

Dix says 470,000 people have already had a third dose, includingthose living and working in all long-term care and
seniors' facilities as well as half of those 70 and over.

He says most of those who have had their third shot have done so within the six-month time limit suggested by the national committee.

"I'm very pleased with how it's going, practically speaking," he said.

"The fact that Ontario and Alberta have announced more recently what their plans are, and we put our plan in place some time ago, is great. I think their plans align with what we are doing as well."