British Columbia health officials reported both positive and negative news on the COVID-19 front in their last update of the week on Friday.
In a written statement, officials reported 648 new cases — the highest daily number in more than two months, and the second-highest daily tally of 2021.
However, the province also reported zero fatalities for the first time since Nov. 5.
Of the new cases 149 were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 372 were in the Fraser Health region, 32 were in the Island Health region, 39 were in the Interior Health region and 56 were in the Northern Health region.
Active cases climbed once again to 5,070, the highest they’ve been in two months, and there were 9,155 people isolating due to exposure — the highest number since the start of the year.
There were 79 new cases of COVID variants of concern reported, for a total of 717. Ninety-nine remained active Friday.
The province has administered at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine to 293,719 people, or about 5.7 per cent of B.C.’s population.
It has given two doses to 87,024 people.
The number of people in hospital climbed by 11 overnight to 255. Sixty-seven of those people were in critical or intensive care.
About 92 per cent of B.C.’s 82,867 cases have recovered, while 1,397 have died.