Dr. Bonnie Henry announced 23 new cases for Island Health on Thursday, as she extended her previously-in-place restrictions on events and in-home gatherings. (BC Government)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

DAILY UPDATE

Sweeping COVID restrictions extended through Feb. 5, Dr. Henry announces 23 new cases in Island Health

Jan 7, 2021 | 3:36 PM

NANAIMO — Provincial health orders in place to limit in-home gatherings and events will remain in place for at least another month.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, extended her previous orders which banned events of any size, high-energy indoor fitness activities and in-home gatherings except of those living under the same roof through to midnight on Feb. 5.

“In the last days we have seen a slight increase in our cases and our curve is trending upward,” Dr. Henry said. “Now is our time to stay the course. We know what we need to do to bend that curve back down.”

The news came as Island Health reported 23 new cases on Thursday, part of 761 new cases reported across B.C.

Island Health has reported 1,050 cases of COVID-19 through the pandemic to date, with 152 currently active including 73 in the central Island region. South Vancouver Island accounts for 53 cases, with 26 to the north.

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Provincially, 6,349 cases remain active with 372 people hospitalized, 74 of whom receiving critical care. A further eight people lost their lives in the last 24 hours, all long-term care residents in the Lower Mainland and interior of B.C.

“We are closely monitoring our progress and if further action is required, we will take that,” Dr. Henry said. “If we see positive trends in our cases, our hospitalizations and a lessening of our impacts we will monitor that as well.”

Dr. Henry also confirmed Thursday the province had detected two additional cases of the COVID-19 variant, first detected in the United Kingdom.

She said both are direct household contacts of the initial case within Island Health and no further transmission is expected.

Public health’s vaccination program has administered 41,064 doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines throughout the province as of Wednesday, Jan. 6.

Island Health’s COVID-19 immunization program expanded on Thursday with the opening of new, appointment-only clinics in Nanaimo and Campbell River for healthcare workers.

The province is also adjusting the way it tracks and reports data, with a change in the date for when cases are reported. Minor changes are expected to past data where cases may shift a day or two and a bump in cases on Thursday is being partially blamed on the adjustments.

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