What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for Feb. 10

THE LATEST:

• Health officials announced 469 new cases of COVID-19 and six more deaths on Wednesday.
• There are now 230 patients in hospital with the disease, including 66 in intensive care.
• There are4,305 active cases across B.C.
• A total of1,269people have died out of71,856confirmed cases in B.C.
• 157,797 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including14,316 second doses.
• As of Monday, the spread of COVID-19 was slowing in Whistler compared to the last few weeks.

As the long weekend approaches, health officials are repeatedly askingBritish Columbians to stay home in an effort to reduce transmission of COVID-19 so that everyone can look forward to restrictions being lifted soon.

In every public statement this week, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix have asked everyone in the province to follow public health orders and advice and refrain from socializing or travelling this Family Day weekend.

"The risks from COVID-19 remain high for all of us, especially with the variants of concern, which is why staying in our local community and avoiding any unnecessary travel is so important right now," they said in a written statement on Wednesday.

"This weekend is the weekend to stay home to show your family and friends you care by not giving COVID-19 the opportunity to spread."

• Help CBC British Columbia tell your COVID-19 stories

The latest appeal came as health officials announced Wednesday that 469 more cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed and six more people have died.

The number of patients in hospital with the disease has hit the lower total since Nov. 20 at 230, including 66 who are in intensive care. In all, there are4,305 active cases across B.C.

There have been 71,856 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in B.C. to date, including 1,269 people who have died.

So far, 157,797 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 14,316 second doses.

Meanwhile, the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority said the spread of COVID-19 has started slowing in Whistler, B.C., compared to previous weeks. The health authority identified 43 new cases as of Monday, according to a statement.

The resort town has been dealing with a major spikein COVID-19 cases, with 547 cases of the disease recorded between Jan. 1 and Feb. 2. Young people continue to account for most of the cases, with spread happening in household settings.

On the research front, anew study is investigating how the immune systems of residents and elderly staff in Canadian long-term care facilities respond to COVID-19 infection, now thatvaccinations in the homes are either well underway or completed.

B.C.-based research will examine how the immune systems of the elderly people armed with the vaccinerespond to infection.

READ MORE:

• An independent report has been released in response toCBCreporting about allegations that theProvincial Health Services Authority had purchased, and eventually written off, roughly $7 million dollars worth of face masks from a Montreal-based vendor.
• B.C.'sauditorgeneralsays the PHSAis not effectively managing cybersecurity threats for medical devices and has not evaluated the risk to patients.
• B.C.'s provincial health officer is seeking an injunction prohibiting gatherings by three Christian churches thatare challenging her orders suspending in-person religious services.
• Nearly two dozen people were fined for violatingpublic health orders after RCMPbustedan illegal nightclub in a Surrey, B.C., neighbourhoodearly Sunday.
• A coalition of First Nations in British Columbia and the provincial health officer have reached an information-sharing agreement over COVID-19 infections, but the nations say the deal still needs work.
• TadFetterly, 78, was knownfor his love of card games andvolunteer work. He died of COVID-19 on Jan. 16.

What's happening elsewhere in Canada

As of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday,Canada had reported 810.797 cases of COVID-19, with 39,179 cases considered active.

A total of 20,909 people have died.