There were 47 new cases of COVID-19 in the Northern Health region reported on Friday, according to data released by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
The number of active cases in the region grew to 419, up from 401 on Thursday. The number of active cases was only two short of the region's high, reported on Dec. 11. There were 45 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the region, including 20 in intensive care, the B.C. CDC reported.
Since the start of the pandemic there has been 1,509 cases of COVID-19 in the Northern Health region.
In a joint statement issued of Friday afternoon, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said there where a total of 624 new COVID-19 cases in B.C. on Friday, bringing the province's total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 45,400.
"There are 9,978 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. There are 356 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 92 of whom are in intensive care," Henry and Dix said. "Currently, 10,211 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases and a further 33,589 people who tested positive have recovered."
Henry and Dix reported 11 new COVID-19-related deaths in B.C., bringing the province's death toll from the pandemic to 724. There were no new COVID-19-related deaths in the Northern Health region, leaving the region's death toll at 15.
"Yesterday, 1,376 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine were given to B.C. front-line health-care workers, for a total of 2,592 doses to date," Henry and Dix said. "The focus of our immunization program right now is to safely protect as many people as possible as efficiently as we can, but we have to remember that this is a global effort with many aspects often changing. As more vaccine arrives in the coming weeks, we all need to be patient and continue to follow public health orders to keep our communities safe."
With student's winter break starting today, and Christmas next week, Henry and Dix urged British Columbians to celebrate the holidays safely.
"This holiday season is about finding ways to celebrate safely, knowing that what we are doing now will help ensure we can safely spend time with our loved ones in the new year," they said. "This holiday season will be like no other. It will be a quieter time than what many of us are used to, but it is important to remember that we will get through this storm. The steps we take in the last days of 2020 are going to ensure a brighter, healthier and safer 2021 for all of us."
On Friday, Northern Health reported COVID-19 exposures at two schools in Terrace, and one in Smithers.
The health authority was responding to a surge in cases in the area of Fort St. James.
"Between November 18 and December 17, there have been 108 laboratory- confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the central and northern portions of the Nechako Local Health Area," a statement issued by Northern Health said. "This includes 33 cases confirmed between December 9 and 15, 2020. Of the total, 65 cases are considered active."
Residents in all area of Northern Health are at risk from COVID-19 and should follow all public health orders, including: no social gatherings of any size, a ban on non-essential travel, wearing masks in all indoor public spaces, and staying home if you are sick.
"Rates of COVID-19 cases in the North mean that whether or not you have had close contact with a lab-confirmed COVID case or someone with COVID-19 symptoms, everyone is at a similar risk for getting COVID," the statement said.
