Vancouver Island adds 112 new COVID-19 cases over weekend as hospitalizations rise

Victoria -

British Columbia health officials identified 112 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region over the weekend, as active cases and hospitalizations climb.

The new cases were among 1,434 cases found across B.C. since Friday, including 532 cases discovered on Saturday, 441 on Sunday and 461 on Monday.

There are now 5,090 active cases of COVID-19 across B.C., including 307 active cases in the island region, according to the B.C. Ministry of Health.

Island Health data identified the locations of 266 active cases Monday, including 154 in the South Island, 87 in the Central Island and 25 in the North Island.

Health officials say one more death related to the disease was reported in B.C. over the weekend. The death in the Fraser Health region brings B.C.’s pandemic death toll to 1,780.

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

Hospitalizations on Vancouver Island have also risen again into the double-digits.

There are currently seven people in hospital with the disease in the region, and four more in critical care, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.

A COVID-19 outbreak at the Discovery Harbour long-term care home in Campbell River is ongoing, according to the B.C. health ministry. It is one of 10 active health-care outbreaks in the province, and the only active outbreak on Vancouver Island.

Approximately 82.6 per cent of British Columbians aged 12 and older have now received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in B.C., while 73.2 per cent have received two doses.

Health-care workers have administered 7,230,961 doses of COVID-19 vaccine in B.C. since December.