There are 97 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. today, raising the provincewide total to 7,376.

Of those cases,1,590 are active, while 5,548 people who tested positive have recovered. Currently, 3,001 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases.

Hospitalizations rose to 63 today, Sept. 15, 20 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.

Of the new cases, six are in the Interior Health region, raising the total to 479. There have been 2,608 cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 3,784 in the Fraser Health region, 195 in the Island Health region, 225 in the Northern Health region and 85 cases of people who reside outside of Canada.

“There is much that we know about COVID-19 and much that we continue to learn each day. What we do know is that now is the time for all of us to take a step back so we can move forward safely. To do this, we need to do our part to break the chains of transmission in B.C.," Dr. provincial health officer Bonnie Henry and health minister Adrian Dix said in a joint statement Sept. 15.

“We must hold steady with our layers of protection. From keeping safe distances, to washing our hands, staying home, and staying away from others when we are ill and have symptoms of COVID-19, we must all do our part. And if we do have symptoms, contact 811 to arrange to get tested."

There have been no new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 219 deaths in British Columbia.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Kathy Michaels or call 250-718-0428 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.