B.C. reports 1,986 new COVID-19 cases over three days, along with 10 deaths

B.C. health officials on Monday reported 1,986 new cases of COVID-19 over three days and 10 additional deaths.

There were 617 cases from Friday to Saturday, 707 cases were reported from Saturday to Sunday, and 662 from Sunday to Monday.

1:50 Troubling COVID-19 numbers in Northern Health Authority

Of the new cases, 782 were in the Fraser Health region, 226 cases were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 414 were in Interior Health, 218 were in Island Health, and 346 were in Northern Health.

The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 remained largely unchanged, declining by two to 326. Of those, 142 are in intensive care, an increase of four from Friday.

2:09 Day one of K-3 school mask mandate in B.C.

The 10 deaths — five in Fraser Health, two in Vancouver Coastal Health, one in Interior Health, and two in Northern Health — bring B.C.’s COVID-19 death toll to 1,983.

The number of active cases in the province dipped below 6,000 to 5,986.

The province said 88.2 per cent of eligible British Columbians aged 12 and older have received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 81.6 per cent have received two doses.

2:02 Indoor mask mandate now in effect for all B.C. school children

People who are not fully vaccinated accounted for 71.5 per cent of COVID-19 cases from Sept. 24 to 30 and 81.4 per cent of hospitalizations from Sept. 17 to 30, the province reported Monday.

Monday marked the first day that all B.C. students from kindergarten to Grade 12 were required to wear masks while in school. Last week, health officials extended the mask mandate, which covered students from grades 4 to 12, to include younger students from kindergarten to Grade 3.

The updated rules come amid a rise in COVID-19 cases among school-aged children.