COVID-19: B.C. reports 26 deaths, 1,846 new cases over three days

Health officials in British Columbia on Monday reported 1,846 new cases of COVID-19 over the past three days, along with 26 deaths.

There were 753 cases from Friday to Saturday while 650 cases were reported from Saturday to Sunday, and 443 from Sunday to Monday.

Of the new cases, 212 were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 737 were in the Fraser Health region, 169 were in Island Health, 322 were in Interior Health, and 406 were in Northern Health.

The number of people in hospital with the disease fell by seven to 360. Of those patients, 151 are in intensive care, a decline of one from Friday.

2:03 Majority of B.C. parents in support of vaccinating kids

There are 4,917 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. The province last reported fewer than 5,000 actives cases on Aug. 15.

The 26 deaths — 10 in Fraser Health, three in Vancouver Coastal Health, five in Interior Health, five in Northern Health and three in Island Health — bring the province’s COVID-19 death toll to 2,081.

There have been a total of 198,278 cases of COVID-19 in B.C. since the start of the pandemic.

The province said 89.2 per cent of eligible British Columbians aged 12 and older have received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 83.4 per cent have received two doses.

Earlier in the day, Pfizer-BioNTech said it has asked Health Canada to approve the first COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11 years old.

Once the vaccine is approved for kids, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization will weigh in on whether the benefits of the shot outweigh potential risks for young children.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said last week that parents in B.C. can register their children aged five to 11 for vaccination. She said the province is looking at early November to be able to provide vaccines for that age group.

— with files from Amy Judd and The Canadian Press