The COVID-19 pandemic claimed another life in the Northern Health region over the weekend.
The death was one of five COVID-related deaths reported in B.C. over the weekend, with the other four occurring in the Interior, according to a statement released by the B.C. Ministry of Health. The pandemic has claimed the lives of 1,777 British Columbians, including 159 residents of the Northern Health region.
The number of active COVID-19 cases in the Northern Health region continued to rise over the weekend. Thirty new cases were reported in the region over the weekend, according to the B.C. Ministry of Health, and the number of active cases had increased to 108 by Monday - up from 88 on Friday.
Two people were hospitalized with COVID in the north as of Monday, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. Both were listed in critical care.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 7,954 cases of COVID-19 reported in the Northern Health region, of which 7,687 people have recovered.
As of Monday, 82 per cent of eligible British Columbians (those aged 12 and up) had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 70.3 per cent were fully vaccinated. Nearly 7.1 million doses of vaccine have been administered in the province, including 307,130 in the Northern Health region.
In the Prince George local health area, which includes Mackenzie and the Robson Valley, 74 per cent of eligible residents had received their first vaccine dose as of Aug. 5, and 59 per cent were fully vaccinated, according to B.C. CDC data.
The province saw a total of 1,079 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend, and the number of active cases in B.C. rose to 3,036. A total of 68 people in the province were hospitalized with COVID, including 20 in critical care.
As of Monday, the province will be offering second vaccine doses to people as little as 28 days after their first shot. Prior to this week, B.C. was booking appointments for second doses 49 days after the first dose.
“Receiving a second dose earlier is particularly important in high-transmission communities. The recommendation from public health for those not living or working in high-transmission communities continues to be to wait six to eight weeks after the first dose to receive the second dose,” the Ministry of Health statement said. “Every person is recommended to get fully vaccinated with two doses of COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community.”
To book a vaccine appointment, go online to gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated or phone 1-833-838-2323.
