VICTORIA -- Health officials identified another 32 cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region Friday.

The new cases were among 648 cases found across B.C. over the past 24 hours. There were no deaths related to COVID-19 in B.C. over the same period, leaving the provincial death toll at 1,397.

There have now been 2,686 cases of COVID-19 and 28 deaths recorded in the island region since the pandemic began.

As of Friday, there are 258 active cases in the Vancouver Island region, including 11 people in hospital and one in critical care.

Island Health identified the locations of 229 active cases of the disease Friday, including 109 cases in the Central Island, 78 cases in the South Island and 42 cases in the North Island. 

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a statement Friday that 79 new COVID-19 variant cases have been found in B.C., bringing the total number of variant cases in the province to 717.

Health officials have administered 380,743 doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the province, including 87,024 secondary doses.

“The three vaccines we have available and in use throughout B.C. are a safe and effective way to protect people around the province,” said Dix and Henry. “As part of our immunization surveillance activities, we follow strict protocols to identify and address any safety signals that may come up.”

The health officials reminded British Columbians that they can now socialize with a group of nine other people outdoors, but stressed that caution should be taken when doing so.

“This means if you or a family member is higher risk, you may choose to delay your visit or ensure you are wearing your masks and maintaining a safe distance,” Dix and Henry said. “It also means continuing to clean your hands and staying away if you are feeling unwell.”

The pair said indoor gatherings are still prohibited, including at bars and restaurants.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is still here,” they said. “And we are still facing headwinds, which means continuing with ‘few faces, open spaces and safety layers’ in place.”