Hospitalizations remain high while daily COVID-19 case counts dropped slightly on Friday, as the province gets ready to book vaccinations for people 50 and older next week.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix reported 740 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, including 32 in the Island Health region.
There are now 7,886 active cases in the province, of whom 511 people are in hospital, including 174 in intensive care.
In Island Health, there are 21 people in hospital with COVID-19, including six in intensive care, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
People born in 1971 or earlier who have registered on the government’s Get Vaccinated website — or have registered by phone or in person — will receive an email or text notification by May 6 to book an appointment as part of B.C.’s age-based vaccine rollout.
* April 30: 56 and up (1965 or earlier)
* May 2: 54 and up (1967 or earlier)
* May 4: 52 and up (1969 or earlier)
* May 6: 50 and up (1971 or earlier)
There have been 1.7 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca administered in B.C., more than 90,000 of which were second doses. Almost 40 per cent of 4.3 million eligible people in B.C. have received their first dose.
The province continues to ask everyone in B.C. who is 18 and up to register day or night on the Get Vaccinated website https://www2.gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated.html or by calling toll-free 1-833-838-2323 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. or by visiting the nearest Service B.C .location, to ensure everyone receives notice about their second shot. People need only register once.
Those registering will be asked for their personal health number, postal code, first and last name, date of birth and an email address or a phone number that can receive text messages.
Restrictions on gathering indoors and and against non-essential travel continue until at least May 25.
In Island Health, active cases are down to 253, including 140 in the south, 93 in the central region and 20 in the north. Overall, the Island has seen 4,639 cases, of which 1,736 have been in the south, 2,284 in the central region, and 619 in the north.
There have been four new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 1,581 deaths in the province since the pandemic began.
Another 11,727 people have been identified as having been exposed to known cases.
Of the new cases, most were in Fraser Health at 431.
