B.C. reports nearly 650 new COVID-19 cases, zero deaths

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – B.C. has recorded 648 new cases of COVID-19, a day after the province’s top doctor announced a relaxing of rules on outdoor gatherings.

No one has died of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, but there are 79 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 variants of concern.

The province also announced two new health-care facility outbreaks at Oceana Parc in White Rock and Ridge Meadows Hospital.

On Thursday, Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the provincial health order had been amended to allow groups of up to 10 people to gather outside. Much like last year’s “Safe Six” rule, British Columbians are asked to keep their contacts to the same 10 people.

Indoor restrictions were not changed.

Related article: Outdoor gatherings of 10 now allowed in B.C.

The province says it has confirmed a total of 717 cases of variants of concern, with 99 considered active. The vast majority of the these cases are the B.1.1.7 strain, with 667 cases of the variant first discovered in the U.K. have been confirmed. There have been 36 cases of the B.1.351 variant, first identified in South Africa; and 14 cases of the P.1 variant, first found in Brazil.

On Friday, the province said 380,743 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine had been administered, 87,024 of which are second doses. Indigenous people over 65 and other British Columbians over 85 are currently allowed to book an appointment for vaccination.

When it comes to travel within B.C., Henry said Thursday that nothing has changed in that regard, and people need to stay local and explore their own regions.

“I do think over March Break if you are a family and you’re going to your cabin and you’re self-contained, that that’s okay. But we really need to stick to our households and stick to our limited travel,” she said.

On Thursday, Henry also announced it will cut off liquor sales on St. Patrick’s Day at 8 p.m.

“That is a day where [people] like to gather together and have parties and we know that alcohol sales can be a part of people losing inhibitions and perhaps forgetting their COVID safety plans,” she said.

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