What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for March 3

THE LATEST:

• Health officials announced 542 new cases and seven more deaths on Wednesday.
• To date, 1,372 people in B.C. have lost their lives to COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
• There are now 246 people in hospital withCOVID-19, including 64in intensive care.
• There are currently 4,652active cases of coronavirus in the province.
• 200 cases of variants of concern have been identified.
• So far, 289,809 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in B.C., with 86,616 of those being second doses.

Another 542 cases of COVID-19 and seven more deaths from the disease have been confirmed in B.C., health officials announced Wednesday.

The latest numbers showa steady rise in the rolling seven-day average of new cases and the number of patients in hospital over the last two weeks. Right now, 246 people are in hospital with COVID-19 including 64 in intensive care.

To date, 1,372 people in B.C. have lost their lives to COVID-19 out of81,909confirmed cases. There are now 4,652 active cases of the novel coronavirus in B.C.

Since the province's vaccination program began late in 2020,289,809doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 86,616 second doses.

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The numbers come asCanada's National Advisory Committee on Immunizationhas endorsed B.C.'s plan to space out first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines by 16 weeks in order to reach more people.

In Wednesday's written statement, Health Minister Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said they were pleased with the endorsement.

"Our goal is to protect as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, through the available COVID-19 vaccines. With a single primer dose, these vaccines are helping to stop outbreaks and reduce serious illness and death," they said.

B.C. now expects every eligible adult who wants a vaccine will receive their first dose by the end of July. The plan is to space out doses by four months.

Wednesday's update also included another 18 confirmed cases of variants of concern, bringing B.C.'s total to date to 200.

READ MORE:

• The B.C.government says the provincial health officer has to strike a balance between curbing the spread of COVID-19 and religious practice, which may at times affect certain rights under the Canadian charter.
• The Western Hockey League announced Tuesday that it has been granted approval by the B.C. Provincial Health Office to play in bubble environments in Kamloops and Kelowna this season.
• B.C.'s decision to extend to four months the interval between first and second doses of three different vaccines amounts to a "population level experiment," said Mona Nemer, Canada's chief science adviser.
• As spring break starts in Quebec, some residents are flyingto ski resorts in B.C., despite health recommendationsagainst interprovincial travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What's happening elsewhere in Canada

As of 7:30p.m. PT Tuesday, Canada had reported 872,747 cases of COVID-19, with 30,252 cases considered active.

A total of 22,045 people have died.