Vancouver Island adds 88 new COVID-19 cases; active cases surpass 600
B.C. health officials have identified 88 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region Thursday.
The new cases were among 368 cases found across the province over the past 24 hours.
There are currently 3,020 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., according to a statement from the Health Ministry, including 602 active cases in the Vancouver Island region.
Island Health has the second-highest number of active cases in the province, behind Fraser Health, where 1,003 cases are active Thursday, health officials say.
Island Health data identified the locations of 524 of the active cases Thursday, including 122 in the South Island, 221 in the Central Island and 181 in the North Island.
Five COVID-19-related deaths were reported in the province Thursday. Three deaths occurred in Fraser Health and two were reported in Northern Health.
Since the pandemic began, 2,345 people have died of the illness in B.C., including 122 deaths reported in the Island Health region.
According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, 49 people are currently in hospital for treatment of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island, including 15 patients who require critical care.
As of Thursday, 85 per cent of British Columbians aged five and older have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 81.8 per cent have received two doses.
Between Nov. 24 and 30, people who are not vaccinated made up 54 per cent of the province's new cases, despite making up less than 16 per cent of the province's population above the age of five.
From Nov. 17 to 30, people who are not vaccinated also made up 64.5 per cent of hospitalizations related to COVID-19.
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