B.C. records 435 new COVID-19 cases, four deaths

B.C. has recorded another 435 new cases of COVID-19 and four deaths.

There were 4,393 active COVID-19 cases in the province, while 6,879 additional people were isolating due to possible exposure to the coronavirus, the province said Tuesday.

Of the new cases, 107 were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 221 in the Fraser Health region, 23 in Island Health,  47 in Interior Health, and 37 in the Northern Health region.

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The province’s seven-day average for new cases stands at 432, and B.C. has recorded fewer than 500 cases for 11 consecutive days.

The four deaths bring the province’s COVID-19 death toll to 1,263.

The number of people in hospital with the disease rose by seven to 241. Of those patients, 68 are in intensive care.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that anyone trying to enter Canada at a land border will be required to have taken a COVID-19 test 72 hours before seeking entry.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Monday that older British Columbians will soon receive information on when and how they’ll get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as the province prepares for mass immunizations next month.

“People who are over age 80 in our community, in the coming days and weeks you will receive the information you need to know where your clinics will be or how you will receive vaccines,” Henry said.

On Friday, Henry extended COVID-19 health orders banning social gatherings and events in the province until further notice amid concerns about new variants of the coronavirus.

The restrictions were extended even as COVID-19 modelling data showed an improved case trendline.

“We need to protect the progress we have made,” Henry said. “We need to use this time to buy ourselves more time.”

— With files from Amy Judd, Simon Little, Rachael D’Amore and The Canadian Press