COVID-19: B.C. records 45 new cases, zero deaths

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Another 45 new COVID-19 cases have been recorded in B.C., as the number of adults fully vaccinated against the virus approaches 50 per cent.

On Friday, the province reported 44.2 per cent of adults have received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Of all British Columbians eligible to be vaccinated (those aged 12 and up), 41.3 per cent have had both doses.

The province says the new cases include a data correction from Thursday and a reconciliation of records for cases followed up by the Federal Quarantine Program between March and April.

They include 19 cases in the Interior Health region, 14 in Vancouver Coastal Health, eight in Fraser Health, and four in Island Health.

There have been no COVID-related deaths in B.C. in the past day.

Of the 661 active cases, 73 patients are in the hospital, 19 of which are in the ICU. Those numbers are little changed compared to Thursday.

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B.C. is currently in Stage 3 of its Restart Plan, which means masks are not mandated by the province and several restrictions around dining and the operation of casinos and nightclubs have been eased.

Sept. 7 is the earliest the province could move to Stage 4, which allows concerts and more spectators at sporting events.