B.C. records 435 new cases of COVID-19 and 4 more deaths

B.C. health officials announced 435 new cases of COVID-19 and four more deaths on Tuesday.

In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix put the number of hospitalized patients at 241 people, 68 of whom are in intensive care.

Henry and Dix said B.C. is making progress on beating back the second wave of the pandemic, but we will need fewer cases and outbreaks before the current restrictions on social gatherings and events can be lifted.

"We can keep this positive, forward momentum going and help keep our province safe through the small efforts we make every day," they said.

"By saving our socializing and travel for another time, we are protecting the people we know and care for most, as well as those we may not know — an elderly neighbour across the street, the clerk at our local grocery store, our first responders and front-line health-care workers who are also doing their part."

A total of 1,263 people in B.C. have lost their lives to COVID-19 since the pandemic began, out of 71,387 confirmed cases to date.

There are currently 4,393 active cases of coronavirus in the province. Public health is monitoring 6,879 people across B.C. who are in self-isolation because of exposure to known COVID-19 cases. More than 65,618 people who tested positive have recovered.  

A new community outbreak has been recorded at the Highridge/Singh group home for adults with disabilities in Kamloops. According to Interior Health, six staff members at the privately operated facility have tested positive for COVID-19.

Interior Health also provided an update on the growing COVID-19 cluster in the Williams Lake area, where 10 more cases have been confirmed since Friday, bringing the total in the region since Jan. 1 to 401.

So far, 155,585 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 12,802 second doses. 

Earlier Tuesday, a coalition of First Nations in British Columbia announced it had reached an information-sharing agreement with the provincial health officer over COVID-19 infections.

A statement from the Heiltsuk First Nation said the agreement will provide more detailed information about COVID-19 case numbers in nearby communities, helping Indigenous leaders to make more informed decisions about safety measures and offer better guidance to its members.

But the statement said the agreement does not provide "completely satisfactory" disclosure and they want B.C. health officials to find new ways to ensure sufficient and timely information is shared with First Nations during emergencies.

At the national level, the federal government announced on Tuesday non-essential travellers entering Canada through the land border will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before arrival as of Feb. 15. Border agents can't legally deny Canadians entry, but those who don't have a test could be fined up to $3,000.