What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for Dec. 10

THE LATEST:

• B.C. plans on immunizing 400,000 people against COVID-19 by March 2021.
• There are close to 4,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine arriving this week.
• 28 people died of COVID-19 in B.C. on Thursday, the deadliest day of the pandemic so far.
• 723 new cases of the virus were announced on Thursday.
• There are 9,524 active cases of COVID-19 across B.C.
• 346 patients are in hospital, with 83 in intensive care.
• 587 people in B.C. have died of the disease since the pandemic began.

B.C. health officials announced 723 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and 28 more deaths — the highest number of deaths in a 24-hour period since the start of the pandemic.

All but two of the people who died were residents of long-term care homes.

There are currently 346 people in hospital, with 83 in intensive care. B.C. now has 9,524 active cases of the virus, with 11,947 under public health monitoring.

The province has sent a rapid-response team of paramedics to Fort St. James, B.C., where at least 40 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the community of around 1,500.

The district municipality, which is located in north central British Columbia, has only one small acute care facility. Medical staff have received 33 calls in just six days, when the monthly average is between 50 and 60.

Vaccine distribution plans

B.C. residents now have a new understanding of how vaccines will be distributed across the province.

The news came on Wednesday afternoon, hours after it was announced that Health Canada had approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Premier John Horgan, joined by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix and pandemic response leader Dr. Ross Brown, said the province plans to immunize 400,000 people against the coronavirus by March 2021, with priority given to residents and staff of long-term care homes and health-care workers.

The first batch of vaccines, around 4,000 in all, arrive this week and will be distributed from two clinics: one in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and the other from the Fraser Health region. 

• Help CBC British Columbia tell your COVID-19 stories

As more doses of the vaccine become available, priority will be given to seniors over 80, people with underlying health conditions, people who are under-housed, and people living in remote and isolated Indigenous communities.

By April, front-line workers including teachers, grocery store workers, firefighters, and people working in food processing plants will be prioritized.

Click here for more information about the COVID-19 vaccine in B.C.

• Stay informed by joining our CBC Vancouver Facebook group on COVID-19

Provincewide, COVID-19 restrictions have been extended to Jan. 8 at midnight.

That means residents can only socialize with people in their household, and all events and gatherings must be cancelled. British Columbians are being told not to travel outside their local communities for non-essential reasons, whether it's to visit family or take a vacation.

READ MORE:

• All your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine in B.C. answered here.
• A beloved couple married 66 years died in separate B.C. hospitals last Sunday, split apart in their final days by COVID-19.
• The opposition B.C. Liberals are decrying what they call a government "clawback" of a supplemental COVID-19 benefit for people on income and disability assistance. 
• Nearly one in five British Columbia children live in poverty, and the pandemic is likely to make the rate even worse, according to the 2020 B.C. child poverty report card.

What's happening elsewhere in Canada

As of 7:15 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Canada's COVID-19 case count stood at 435,330, with 72,336 of those considered active. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial reports, regional health information and CBC's reporting stood at 12,983.

Ontario reported another 1,890 cases of COVID-19 and 28 more deaths linked to the illness on Wednesday.

Quebec on Wednesday reported 1,728 new cases and 37 new deaths. Premier François Legault has said he isn't ruling out the possibility of implementing further restrictions if necessary.

Manitoba reported 280 new cases and 18 new deaths on Wednesday. It is the province's second-highest daily death toll, after the 19 deaths reported on Dec. 5.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is meeting with premiers virtually Thursday, with vaccine distribution, health-care funding and improving long-term care facilities on the agenda.