B.C. reports 655 new COVID-19 infections as active cases top 6,000

Another 655 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in British Columbia along with two additional deaths.

Of the new cases, 242 were in the Interior Health region, 99 cases were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 186 were in the Fraser Health region, 68 were in Island Health, and 60 were in Northern Health.

3:58 B.C.’s latest modelling numbers show vaccines are working

The two deaths, both in Island Health, raised B.C.’s COVID-19 death toll to 1,816.

The upward trend in hospitalization numbers continues, with 187 patients in hospital with the disease. Of those, 103 patients are in intensive care, the highest total since May 22.

There have been 166,068 COVID-19 cases in B.C. since the start of the pandemic, 6,045 of which are active.

The province reported that 84.3 per cent of eligible British Columbians aged 12 and older have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 76.5 per cent of those eligible have received two doses.

Earlier in the day, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the latest modelling numbers show that B.C. is now in a “pandemic of the unvaccinated.”

On Monday, B.C. officials reported 1,853 new cases and seven deaths over a 72-hour period.

— With files from Amy Judd