B.C. needs to do more to drop its daily COVID-19 count: health officials

While down from the 900 or so daily cases of a few weeks ago, the 407 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, including 54 in the Interior Health region, is unacceptably high, B.C. health officials say.

“The number of new daily cases of COVID-19 is much higher than we want it to be,” reads a joint statement issued today, Jan. 26, by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix.

“We are asking for everyone’s help to bend our curve back down. This is especially critical with the presence of variant viruses in our province."

While 122,359 doses of vaccine have been injected into B.C. residents, including 4,105 second doses, there are no Pfizer vaccines coming to B.C. this week and low numbers for the following two weeks.

READ MORE: B.C.'s vaccine plan slowed by lack of supply

“Our greatest source of transmission comes from when we spend time with those outside of our household, work or school bubble,” the statement reads. “That is why staying small and equally important, avoiding all unnecessary travel, is what we need to do right now.”

There were 14 more deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the provincial toll to 1,168.

Of the new cases 169 were in the Fraser Health region, 124 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 22 in the Vancouver Island Health region and 38 in the Northern Health region.

There are 4,260 active cases in B.C. with 313 people in hospital, of whom 71 are in intensive care.

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