12 more B.C. residents have died from COVID-19; 694 test positive

There were 694 new COVID-19 cases in B.C. in the last 24 hours, including 82 in the Interior Health region.

There were also 12 new deaths, bringing the death toll to 481 in B.C., provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced today, Dec. 3.

“This is the reason why we have postponed or suspended or cancelled events, these are the reasons we put restrictions on adult sport teams,” Dr. Henry said. “We have seen, when people come together this virus can spread.”

One of the deaths reported today was in the Interior Health region, bring the total number of deaths since the start of the pandemic to four.

A resident at the Mountainview Village, a man in his 80s, died. He's the first long-term care home resident in Interior Health to succumb to the virus.

As well, a staff member at the home linked to the initial two cases has tested positive. IH has expanded the outbreak to include the first floor of the care home because the employee worked for a short time on the first floor.

There are now three cases associated with the Mountainview Village outbreak, two staff members and one resident.

"We offer our condolences to the family and caregivers during this difficult time," Interior Health president and CEO Susan Brown said in a media release. "Interior Health will continue working closely with Mountainview’s administration and staff as we combat COVID-19 together.

An Operation Immunization team has been created in order to organize the rollout of vaccines, when they arrive in B.C., which will eventually lead to herd immunity, she said.

The first to get the vaccine will be the most vulnerable, Dr. Henry said. That includes seniors, particularly those in long-term care facilities, along with health-care workers.

The 694 new cases brings the provincial total to 35,422 while the Interior Health region’s total has climbed to 1,981.

Of the new cases there were 456 in the Fraser Health Region, 114 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 82 in the Interior Heath region, 10 in the Vancouver Island Health region and 23 in the Northern Health region.

The province now has 9,103 active cases while 10,849 people are being monitored by health authorities.

There are 325 B.C. residents in hospital, of which 80 are in intensive care.

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