The Northern Health region had 52 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to data released by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
However, the number of active cases in the region dropped from 318 on Monday to 302 on Tuesday. Eighteen people in the Northern Health region were hospitalized on Tuesday, including 10 in critical care, according to the B.C. CDC.
"There have been two new COVID-19 related deaths in the last 24 hours, for a total of 1,393 deaths in British Columbia," provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a joint statement. "Today marks a sombre milestone: one year since the first person in British Columbia died as a result of COVID-19. Today, we pause and remember everyone who has died from this virus and offer our condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Through the loss and uncertainty that has come with this pandemic, we have seen incredible resilience, as people throughout our province have adapted to the challenges COVID-19 has brought."
The Northern Health region didn't see its first fatality from the pandemic until mid-September. Since then, a total of 109 people from the Northern Health region have died of COVID-19, the B.C. CDC reported.
A total of 10,918 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the north, including 2,686 second doses.
Prince George residents aged 90 and up were able to register for an appointment to get vaccinated starting on Monday. Starting on Wednesday, Prince George residents 80 and up can call the Northern Health hotline (1-844-255-7555) to make their appointment. Because of the smaller population in the north, Prince George residents 80-plus are eligible to get vaccinated sooner than in other parts of B.C.
The hotline is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.
"We remind everyone who is outside of this age group to wait to call until your registration window begins," Henry and Dix said. "Now, with every new person who is vaccinated, we can take comfort in knowing with each immunization, we all benefit – elders, seniors, families and communities. Let's keep moving forward and doing our part to put COVID-19 behind us."
Across the province there were 550 new cases of COVID-19.
"There are 4,869 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, with 8,971 people under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases," Henry and Dix said. "There have been 182 new confirmed COVID-19 cases that are variants of concern in our province, for a total of 576 cases. Of the total cases, 113 are active and the remaining people have recovered. This includes 530 cases of the B.1.1.7 (U.K.) variant, 33 cases of the B.1.351 (South Africa) variant and 13 cases of the P.1 (Brazil) variant."
Throughout the province, 238 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, including 68 in critical care, according to the B.C. CDC.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 85,119 cases of COVID-19 in the province – including 4,953 in the Northern Health region.
