Vancouver Island adds 5 deaths, 218 new COVID-19 cases over weekend

Victoria -

Health officials in B.C. identified 218 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region over the weekend.

The cases were among 1,370 cases found across the province over the past three days, including 568 cases reported Saturday, 470 recorded Sunday and 332 cases added Monday.

There are currently 4,668 active cases of COVID-19 in British Columbia, 663 of which are located in the Island Health region, according to a statement from the B.C. Ministry of Health.

Island Health data identified the locations of 581 active cases Monday, including 131 in the South Island, 386 in the Central Island and 64 in the North Island.

Over the weekend, 25 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed in B.C., including five that occurred in the Island Health region.

Eight other deaths were reported in Fraser Health, seven were recorded in Interior Health, and five more were confirmed in Northern Health.

Since the pandemic began, 2,181 people have died of the illness in British Columbia, including 96 deaths recorded in the Island Health region.

There are currently 39 active COVID-19 outbreaks at health-care facilities in B.C., including one on Vancouver Island.

Island Health declared an outbreak of COVID-19 at a long-term care home in Nanaimo over the weekend.

Meanwhile, an outbreak is active at the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre in Saanich.

VACCINE MILESTONE

B.C. has reached a milestone in its vaccination efforts, according to the Health Ministry. As of Monday, 90 per cent of eligible people in British Columbia have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 85.3 per cent have received two doses.

In total, the province has administered 8,250,566 doses of vaccine since it began its vaccination campaign in December.

Earlier Monday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced that people who received two doses of an AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine may be eligible for a third dose booster shot earlier than others who received different vaccines.

Henry made the announcement at a live news conference, where she also asked that people wear masks when they attend places of worship, even though places of worship are currently exempt from B.C.'s mandatory indoor mask policy.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix added that some surgeries have been delayed due to a worker shortage caused by the province's vaccine mandate among health-care workers.

More than 3,000 unvaccinated health-care workers are currently on unpaid leave across the province, Dix said at the conference Monday.