B.C. reports 546 new COVID-19 cases, 12 deaths; number in hospital falls below 300

British Columbia reported 546 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, along with 12 deaths.

It broke a four-day stretch in which the province had reported fewer than 500 daily cases, and left the seven-day rolling average for new cases at 470.

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In a written statement, health officials pleaded with British Columbians to stay home during the upcoming Lunar New Year and Family Day holidays.

“Any travel beyond your local community, unless it is absolutely essential for work or medical care, is strongly discouraged right now,” reads the statement.

“The more people you see and more places you go increase the risk for you, your family and those in the community you may be visiting.”

Officials said there were 174 new cases in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 218  in the Fraser Health region, 30 in the Island Health region, 70 in the Interior Health region and 51 in the Northern Health region.

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A geographic update on COVID-19 cases by local health area from the B.C. Centre For Disease Control, published Thursday, showed new virus hotspots cropping up in B.C.’s northwest, western Vancouver Island and Salmon Arm.

Parts of the Interior, including the Nechako, 100 Mile House and Revelstoke regions, saw cases ease, as did parts of Fraser Health south of the Fraser River.

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Active cases climbed on Thursday to 4,455, while another 7,176 people were isolating due to possible exposure.

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Despite the uptick in new cases, the number of COVID patients in hospital fell by 12 to 291, the fewest since Nov. 24. Seventy-five of those patients were in critical or intensive care.

The province has administered 127,255 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, of which 4,185 were second doses.

There were new outbreaks at the Bradley Centre long-term care home in Chilliwack, and Concord By the Sea retirement residence in White Rock.

You can see a breakdown of cases and deaths in care homes, updated weekly, here.

About 89 per cent of B.C.’s 66,265 total cases have recovered, while 1,184 people have died.

While there was no live briefing Thursday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix are scheduled to answer your questions at a Global News town hall.

You can tune in at 6:30 p.m., or stream it here on our website.