Photo courtesy Canadian Press

By Greg Fry

COVID-19

683 new cases of COVID in B.C., 36 in Northern Health

Dec 31, 2020 | 3:18 PM

VANCOUVER — Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says there have been 683 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours in British Columbia, 36 in Northern Health.

Here’s the regional breakdown:

• Vancouver Coastal Health: 105
• Fraser Health: 447
• Island Health: 11
• Interior Health: 64
• Northern Health: 36
• Epidemiological linked cases: 2

Henry says there’s been overreporting of cases in the Northern Health region but says those numbers will be updated later today.

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She says there are 7,803 active cases province-wide, 374 people are in hospital – 76 of whom are in intensive or critical care.

Sadly there have been eight more deaths bringing the provincial death toll to 901.

A total of 51,983 people have been diagnosed with the virus since the pandemic began, while 42,129 people have recovered.

Henry also reacted to criticism she’s received for tonight’s ban on the sale of liquor from 8 p.m. until 9 a.m. tomorrow. She said she understands it’s a challenge for restaurants but says it’s two hours now that could make a difference when it comes to the transmission of the virus.

She noted that alcohol consumption limits our inhibitions which could easily lead to the transmission of COVID-19.

On a positive note, Henry said that 17,510 people in B.C. have now been vaccinated.