B.C. reports 2,960 new COVID-19 cases over three days as hospitalizations hit record highs

B.C. health officials reported 2,960 new cases of COVID-19 and eight deaths over the past three days as the number of people in hospital with the disease continues to hit all-time highs.

There were 1,027 cases from Friday to Saturday while 933 cases were reported from Saturday to Sunday, and 1,000 from Sunday to Monday.

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Of the new cases, 696 were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 1,845 were in the Fraser Health region, 108 were in Island Health, 211 were in Interior Health, and 100 were in Northern Health.

The eight deaths bring the province’s COVID-19 death toll to 1,538. Among those who died was a two-year-old child, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said.

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The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 rose by 16 to 441, a new record.

There are 9,353 active cases of the disease in B.C., and 14,711 people are self-isolating due to possible exposure to the novel coronavirus.

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The numbers come as the province announced plans to distribute the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to those over the age of 40.

— With files from Richard Zussman