A lady wears a sticker given out after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic in Richmond, B.C., Saturday, April 10, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS

B.C.’s COVID-19 case count slows after last week’s peak

3,219 new cases since Friday, 18 additional deaths

B.C. recorded 1,283 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, 1,036 on Sunday and 970 on Monday, as infection slowed slightly from last week’s record spread.

B.C. recorded its one-day record of 1,293 new confirmed cases on April 8 and 1,262 on Friday, April 9.

For the past three days, there have been 18 additional deaths, and as of Monday there were 368 people in hospital with coronavirus-related conditions, 121 of them in intensive care. “That’s not a record but it’s getting close to a record,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said.

The latest infection totals come as B.C. enters its third week of “circuit breaker” restrictions that suspended indoor service at restaurants and pubs. That order is due to expire April 19, if infection rates come down from the record highs reached in the past week.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said her latest order allowing public health officials to shut down businesses with three or more confirmed infections takes effect Monday, April 12.

It’s not about blaming them,” Henry said. “it’s about supporting businesses when this virus comes into your workplace so we can stop it from spreading. But if business is causing transmission, we need to take action.”

B.C. has declared two new outbreaks in long-term care, at Dufferin Care Centre in Coquitlam and Sunset Manor assisted living in Chilliwack.

RELATED: B.C. to register people aged 40 and up for vaccines

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