COVID-19 surge continues with 14 new cases on Vancouver Island

Victoria -

Health officials identified 14 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region Thursday, the highest daily total in over two months.

The new cases are among 204 cases found across British Columbia over the past 24 hours.

The 14 new cases in the island region represents the largest single-day case total for the region since May 26, when 14 cases were recorded, according to data from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).

There are currently 1,005 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 51 active cases in the island region, according to a statement Thursday from the health ministry.

The ministry said in its statement, however, that the numbers are provisional due to a delay in data reporting and are therefore subject to change.

A discrepancy in the daily COVID-19 numbers was apparent in the BCCDC's count, which recorded 15 new cases in the Vancouver Island region Thursday, and 202 new cases in B.C.

There is currently one person in hospital with COVID-19 in the island region and no one in critical care, according to the BCCDC.

Island Health officials identified the locations of 48 active cases in the island region Thursday, including 29 in the South Island, 17 in the Central Island and two in the North Island.

There were no deaths from the disease reported in B.C. on Thursday, leaving the province's pandemic death toll at 1,771.

Since the pandemic began, 41 people have died of COVID-19 in the Island Health region.

"We are seeing an increase in cases – not unexpected in most places," said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry during an unrelated news conference Thursday.

"As we mentioned yesterday, we have had a rapid increase in one area of the province and there are additional measures that are in place in that area to try and prevent transmission," Henry added.

The provincial health officer also advised out-of-province travellers to only visit B.C. once they have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

"We're happy to have you come, fully vaccinated," Henry said. 

As of Thursday, 81 per cent of British Columbians aged 12 and older have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 64.1 per cent have received two doses.

B.C. health-care workers have administered 6,732,309 doses of COVID-19 vaccine since the vaccines became available in December.