FILE PHOTO - Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry provides a COVID-19 update to reporters, Thursday, May 13, 2021. Health Minister Adrian Dix can be seen in the background.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED / Province of B.C.
May 18, 2021 - 3:32 PM
B.C. health officials reported 411 new cases of COVID-19 today, including 69 within Interior Health, for a total of 140,075 since the start of the pandemic.
There are 4,890 active cases, with 360 people hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those 127 are in intensive care.
There were also two new COVID-19 related deaths, raising the COVID death toll to 1,650.
As of today, May 18, 2,566,936 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in B.C., with 131,837 of which being second doses.
"The more people who get vaccinated, the safer we all are, which is why we want to break the record books on immunizations in our province. Whether you are in northern B.C., the Okanagan, Vancouver Island or the Tri-Cities, the simple step of getting immunized will allow us to start to slowly ease the restrictions we have in place," provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a joint statement.
"First doses are well underway and second doses will be coming soon. With a large, steady vaccine supply and an assurance that most people have their first dose, we will be able to look at how we may be able to accelerate delivery of second doses. We're monitoring this closely and will have more to share in early June."
As they have for several weeks, Dix and Henry said social gatherings should be small this upcoming May long weekend and they encourage those able to register for vaccination to do it, so the pandemic can be put in the past.
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