COVID-19 numbers remain high across B.C.

Despite the ongoing vaccine rollout, the COVID-19 pandemic showed no appreciable signs of abating on Wednesday.

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control reported 716 new cases across the province, well above the 500-per-day level provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said is too high. 

Active cases stood at 5,573, up 722 from seven days ago with Fraser health accounting for 3,037 of them. Fraser Health was also home to three COVID-related deaths reported Wednesday.

For Northern Health, 42 new cases were reported while active cases declined by one from the day before, to 314. As of Tuesday, the seven-day rolling average for new cases in the region stood at 48.1.

Hospitalizations in Northern Health added up to 42 - compared to 27 a week ago - with 13 in intensive care, the same as on March 17.

To date, 582,634 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca-SII COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in B.C., 87,180 of which are second doses. Updated figures for region-by-region vaccinations were not available.

Starting Thursday at noon, Northern Health will accept appointments for vaccinations for anyone  in 1945 or earlier (age 76+ and, starting on Saturday at noon,for  born in 1946 or earlier (age 75+). Indigenous people born in or before 1966 (55+) also remain elibible.

Starting next Monday, March 29, people who receive a clinically extremely vulnerable letter will also be able to book vaccine appointments.

Meanwhile, Northern Health is reported possible COVID-19 exposures at two Prince George schools.

The first at Heather Park Elementary from March 10-12. The health authority says the self-monitoring end date is March 26.

The other was at Spruceland Traditional Elementary on March 12 and March 15-19. The end date to self-monitor for symptoms there is April 2. 

Starting next Monday, March 29, people who receive a clinically extremely vulnerable letter will also be able to book vaccine appointments.