The Northern Health region saw a 11.5 per cent drop in active COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.
Only three new cases were reported in the region on Tuesday, and the number of active cases dropped from 78 to 69, according data released by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. The number of people hospitalized in the north remained at two, with both in critical care.
No new COVID-related deaths were reported in the province on Tuesday, leaving the pandemic's death toll in the Northern Health region at 154.
B.C.'s vaccination campaign continued to move ahead, as the province officially entered Step 2 of its restart plan on Tuesday.
"Today, we are reporting that 76.1 (per cent) of all adults in B.C. and 74.4 (per cent) of those 12 and older have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine," provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a joint statement. "Today, we start Step 2 of BC's Restart plan, moving forward slowly to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us. As has been the case since the start of the pandemic, our success in this next phase is dependent on all of us doing our part to keep COVID-19 low and slow."
A total of 4.1 million doses of COVID vaccine have been administered in the province, including 185,292 in the Northern Health region (150,552 first doses and 34,740 second doses).
As of Monday, the vaccination rate in the Prince George local health area – which includes Mackenzie and the Robson Valley – was 68 per cent for adults, and 65 per cent for everyone 12 years old and older.
Step 2 of the restart plan lifts restrictions on recreational travel within B.C.
"If you are considering visiting another community for recreational travel, be aware that some people and some communities are moving at a slower – a pace that works for them. These communities may not be ready to welcome visitors at this time, so please be respectful when making any travel plans," Henry and Dix said. "This is the next stage on our journey and our progress is a shared effort, so let's work together to continue to progress on this path."
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 7,770 cases of COVID-19 in the Northern Health region, of which 7,547 people have recovered.
Anyone who hasn't registered to be vaccinated can do so by going online to www.gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated or phone 1-833-838-2323 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily.
