The COVID-19 pandemic claimed three more lives in the Northern Health region over the weekend.
The region's death toll increased to 140, according to data reported by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control on Monday. The deaths were among 17 COVID-related deaths in the province over the weekend.
"That is absolutely a huge loss in our communities," Health Minister Adrian Dix said on Monday. "It want to pass on my condolences to the families, the caregivers, the loved ones who are all grieving today."
One of those who died over the weekend was a nurse, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said, marking the first nurse in B.C to have died of the disease. Also, the B.C. Coroners Service ruled an infant who died earlier this year while being treated at B.C. Children's Hospital died of COVID complications, she said. The baby's family was from the Interior Health region.
"This is, obviously, the youngest person who has died of COVID (in the province)," she said, before offering her condolences to the family.
Of those who died over the weekend, two were over 90, seven were in their 80s, five in their 70s, two in their 60s and one was in their 50s, Henry said.
Over the weekend, the Northern Health region saw 104 new cases of COVID-19, according to the B.C. CDC. The number of active cases in the region rose from 224 on Friday to 263 by Monday.
Eighteen people were hospitalized with COVID in the Northern Health region, including six in critical care.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 7,080 cases of COVID-19 in the north, of which 6,674 have recovered.
Throughout the province, nearly 1.64 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 83,709 in the north (80,742 first doses and 2,947 second doses).
All adults can register online with the province's vaccination booking system, by going to getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca. Resident can also register by phoning 1-833-838-2323 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily.
Currently appointments are being booked for those in their 60s, and will be starting to book people in their later 50s this week, Henry said.
