Four new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the Northern Health region on Tuesday, the lowest single-day total reported since late October.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix announced a total of 289 new cases in B.C. on the same day Premier John Horgan unveiled the province's phased plan to lift public health restrictions.
The number of active cases in the Northern Health region dropped by more than 16 per cent from Friday, down to 128, according to data released by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. However, the region saw two more COVID-related deaths over the weekend, increasing the region's death toll from the pandemic to 152.
"Our condolences are with the family, friends and caregivers of the people who have died as a result of COVID-19," Henry and Dix said in their joint statement. "We are not yet through this storm, but the end is in sight. We are getting closer every day, and now there is a clear roadmap for how we'll get there."
As of Tuesday, eight people were hospitalized in the Northern Health region with COVID-19, including three in critical care.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 7,603 cases of COVID-19 in the Northern Health region, of which 7,320 people have recovered.
Northern Health has reported three new COVID-19 exposures at local schools. There was an exposure at Duchess Park Secondary School on May 18 and Pinewood Elementary School had two separate exposures on May 13 and May 14.
Across the province, nearly 2.93 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the province.
"This means 64.6 (per cent) of all adults have received their first dose, or 59.8 (per cent) of those 12 and older," Henry and Dix said. "Our path forward is a collective effort and we all have a role to play – slowing community transmission by each of us getting our first and second doses of vaccine and continuing with our safety layers, in combination with public health teams actively contact tracing and containing new clusters and outbreaks."
The Prince George local health area, which includes Mackenzie and the Robson Valley, was behind the provincial average as of Monday, with 57 per cent people 18 and over vaccinated.
In the Northern Health region, a total of 134,106 vaccine doses have been administered – including 6,516 second doses. Those numbers exclude doses administered by the First Nations Health Authority.
All British Columbians 12 years old and older are now eligible to book their vaccination appointment. To register, go online to getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca, phone 1-833-838-2323 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily, or visit the the Service BC centre located at 1044 Fifth Ave.
"As cases continue to decline and immunizations steadily rise, we are moving forward with purpose, monitoring our progress to ensure we remain on track," Henry and Dix said. "What will remain the same – no matter what – is the importance of washing our hands, staying home and staying away from others when we are ill, and getting tested should we develop any symptoms of COVID-19.
