B.C. reports 696 new COVID-19 cases; hospitalizations and active cases drop

VICTORIA — B.C. reported 696 new cases of COVID-19 for Wednesday (Oct. 20), with 118 of them in Interior Health.

The active COVID-19 case count decreased to 4,888 in B.C. (down by 25), although the active count in Interior Health raised to 795 (up by 23). Of the provincial active cases, 370 are in hospital – down by 12 since Tuesday – with 139 of them in intensive care (down by seven). The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.

Elsewhere, there were 252 new COVID-19 cases reported in Fraser Health (1,929 active), 191 in Northern Health (864), 76 in Vancouver Coastal Health (724) and 59 in Island Health (517). There were no new cases from people who reside outside of Canada, although that active total remains at 59.

In the past 24 hours, six new COVID-19 deaths were reported, for an overall total of 2,092. None of the new deaths were in Interior Health.

B.C. declared one new healthcare facility outbreak at Swedish Assisted Living Residence (Fraser Health), for a total of 24 active outbreaks, with four of them in Interior Health. The outbreak at Overlander Residential Care in Kamloops is still active.

As of Wednesday (Oct. 20), 89.3 per cent (4,138,787) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 83.6 per cent (3,876,579) have received their second.