Island Health escaped new fatalities due to COVID-19 over the last 24 hours, with 14 recorded elsewhere in the province. (BC Government)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

CASE COUNTS

High COVID-19 case counts continue for Island Health, again avoids new fatalities

Jan 20, 2021 | 3:55 PM

NANAIMO — Island Health continues to record a surge in COVID-19 cases but was once again the only health authority to not record new fatalities.

A joint statement from the province and public health confirmed 500 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, pushing the province past 62,000 total cases since early 2020.

Island Health reported 22 new cases from their last reporting period with the number active falling to 177. Approximately 75 per cent of all active cases are in the central Island region.

There is a data discrepancy between Island Health and the BC CDC, based on the timing of COVID-19 results. NanaimoNewsNOW reports the Island Health confirmed data.

Provincially, active cases rose slightly to 4,345 while the number of people in hospital dropped to 320, including 66 people receiving intensive care for their symptoms.

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The province recorded 14 new fatalities in the last 24 hours in all health authorities except Island Health.

To date, 1,104 people have lost their lives as a result of COVID-19, including 17 in Island Health.

On Wednesday, Island Health confirmed to NanaimoNewsNOW two of the deaths within the health authority were linked to the Chartwell Malaspina Care Residence in Nanaimo, the latest of which was included in the Monday, Jan. 18 report.

The outbreak, first declared in late December, is nearing its end.

No new cases in residents or staff were confirmed since Jan. 6 with multiple rounds of testing all producing negative results.

Also Wednesday, Snuneymuxw First Nation rescinded a shelter-in-place order implemented in early January after a cluster of cases were confirmed.

Just six active cases remain after quick action and a vaccination program provided doses of the vaccine to around 70 per cent of Snuneymuxw’s member population.

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