Vancouver Island adds 3 new COVID-19 cases

A researcher works in a lab at the BC Centre for Disease Control during the COVID-19 pandemic. (CTV)

Victoria -

Health officials identified three new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region Tuesday.

The new cases were among 46 cases found across the province over the past 24 hours, according to the B.C. health ministry.

There are currently 602 active COVID-19 cases in B.C., including 12 active cases in the island region, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.

Six people are currently in hospital for treatment of the virus, and one more person is receiving critical care, according to the BCCDC.

Island Health's real-time tally of active cases was slightly higher than the BCCDC total on Tuesday.

Island Health says there are 13 active cases of the virus, including three in the South Island, 10 in the Central Island and none in the North Island.

Health officials recorded no new deaths related to COVID-19 on Tuesday, leaving the province's death toll at 1,759, including 41 people in the island region.

Approximately 78.1 per cent of people aged 12 and older have received their first COVID-19 vaccine shot, while 37 per cent have received two doses.