Hospitalizations drop, active COVID-19 cases increase in B.C.

KAMLOOPS — B.C. reports 379 new COVID-19 cases for Wednesday (Dec. 8), with 94 of them in Interior Health.

Active cases increased to 2,874 in the province (up by 60 from Tuesday) and 580 in Interior Health (up by 19). Of the provincial active cases, 224 patients are in hospital (down by 18), with 77 of them in intensive care (down by five).

Elsewhere, there were 104 cases reported in Fraser Health (924 active), 65 in Island Health (595), 64 in Vancouver Coastal Health (497), and 49 in Northern Health (276).

Six new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, none in Interior Health, for a provincial total of 2,363.

No new healthcare facility outbreaks were declared. There are five active outbreaks, including Ponderosa Lodge in Kamloops.

As of Tuesday, 85.8 per cent (4,274,610) of eligible people five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 82.1 per cent (4,091,486) have received their second.