Photo courtesy Canadian Press

By Greg Fry

COVID-19 update

617 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C., 49 in Northern Health

Jan 8, 2021 | 3:59 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — The Province of British Columbia is reporting 617 new cases of COVID-19.

Here’s the regional breakdown:

• Vancouver Coastal Health: 139
• Fraser Health: 320
• Island Health: 27
• Interior Health: 81
• Northern Health: 49

There are 6,118 active cases of the virus, down from 6,349 yesterday.

“There are 358 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 75 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation,” reads a joint statement issued by Health Minister Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

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“Currently 8,755 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases and a further 48,205 people who tested positive have recovered.”

To date, a total of 56,632 have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began and 46,259 people have been vaccinated.

Sadly, there have been 18 new deaths bringing the death toll in B.C. to 988.