VICTORIA -- Health officials identified 32 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region Friday.
The cases were among 740 cases found across the province over the past 24 hours, according to provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix.
The Island Health region has now recorded 4,665 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
Four more people in B.C. have died of COVID-19, health officials announced Friday, bringing the province's pandemic death toll to 1,581.
One of those deaths was recorded in the Vancouver Island region, where the pandemic has now killed 37 people.
There are 320 active COVID-19 cases in the island region Friday, including 21 people in hospital and six more in critical care.
Island Health officials confirmed the locations of 253 active cases Friday afternoon, including 140 in the South Island, 93 in the Central Island and 20 in the North Island.
The province has now administered 1,786,722 doses of COVID-19, including 90,642 second doses.
Dix and Henry are encouraging all British Columbians, regardless of age, to register for a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.
“This applies to all immunization streams, including the pharmacy stream,” the health officials said in a statement Friday. “If you have received your first dose through a pharmacy, you should still register through the Get Vaccinated site to ensure you are notified when it’s time to book your second dose.”
