Specimens to be tested for COVID-19 are seen at LifeLabs after being logged upon receipt at the company’s lab, in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, March 26, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Specimens to be tested for COVID-19 are seen at LifeLabs after being logged upon receipt at the company’s lab, in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, March 26, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. reports 696 new COVID cases, 6 deaths on Wednesday

Vaccinations ticked up barely one-tenth of a percentage point

The province is reporting 696 new cases and six deaths due to COVID-19 as Wednesday (Oct. 20).

According to the health ministry, 252 of the new cases are in Fraser Health, 76 are in Vancouver Coastal Health, 118 are in Interior Health, 191 are in Northern Health and 59 are in Island Health. Five of the deaths were in Fraser Health and one was in Vancouver Coastal Health. Eight of the cases are epi-linked.

Vaccination rates stayed largely steady with 89.3 per cent of eligible people in B.C. vaccinated with one dose and 83.6 per cent with two doses, a 0.1 per cent difference since Tuesday.

There are currently 370 people in hospital with the virus, 139 of whom are in ICU. That’s a 12 person drop in hospitalizations and a seven person drop in ICU cases.

There has been one new health-care outbreak at the Swedish Assisted Living Residence in Burnaby. Overall, the current long-term care outbreaks include Willingdon Care Centre, Westminster House, Magnolia Gardens, Manoah Manor, Cherington Place, West Shore Laylum, Queens Park Care Centre and Heritage Village (Fraser Health).

Outbreaks in assisted living include Sunset Manor, Evergreen Manor, Menno Terrace West, The Emerald at Elim Village and Swedish Assisted Living Residence (Fraser Health).

Outbreaks in acute care settings include the Mission Memorial Hospital (Fraser Health), University Hospital of Northern BC, GR Baker Memorial Hospital (Northern Health) and Tofino General Hospital (Island Health).

READ MORE: B.C. to lift capacity limits for indoor ticketed, organized events as of Oct. 25


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katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

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