Another 677 new COVID-19 cases reported in B.C., along with one additional death

Another 677 cases of COVID-19 were reported in B.C. on Tuesday, along with one additional death.

Of the new cases, 153 were in the Interior Health region, 102 cases were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 237 were in the Fraser Health region, 86 were in Island Health,  and 99 were in Northern Health. Twenty of the cases were epi-linked.

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There are 6,165 active cases in the province, an increase of nearly six per cent from Monday.

The death in the Northern Health region brings B.C.’s COVID-19 death toll to 1,866.

Ten more people are in hospital with COVID-19, bringing the total to 288, an increase of 10 from Monday. Nearly half of those patients are in intensive care.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said Tuesday that 121 of the 140 COVID-19 patients in intensive care around the province, about 86 per cent, were unvaccinated.

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A child under a year old was also recently admitted to ICU with the virus but has since recovered and been released, he added. A youth is also in intensive care.

Dix added that none of the ICU patients under the age of 50 were fully vaccinated.

Eighty-six per cent of eligible British Columbians aged 12 and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 78.5 per cent are fully immunized, the province reported.

The numbers come a day after health officials announced that all health-care workers and volunteers will soon have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as the provincial government expands its immunization program.

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Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says the vaccine mandate will take effect Oct. 26 and it will be a condition of employment for all workers, physicians, contractors and volunteers in health facilities.

It also applies to people who work in home and community care locations, including client homes.

The province is also giving third vaccine doses to severely immunocompromised individuals.

Henry says about 15,000 British Columbians who are severely immunocompromised will receive a third dose in accordance with guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.

— With files from Amy Judd