Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says B.C. is seeing an encouraging trend, despite active cases rising. (Facebook/Gov't of B.C.)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

covid-19 update

22 new COVID-19 cases found in central Island, new cases trending downward for province

Feb 2, 2021 | 4:09 PM

NANAIMO — The number of new COVID-19 cases being confirmed across B.C. has dropped from recent highs.

A statement from the province on Tuesday, Feb. 2 confirmed 429 new COVID-19 cases across B.C., down from averages north of 500 earlier in January.

“We’re seeing an encouraging trend in our COVID-19 curve,” provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said in the statement. “Fewer cases is a welcome sign for all of us and makes it all the more important to keep going with the fundamentals of staying local, staying small and staying safe right now.”

Despite the optimism about lower numbers of new cases, the number of active cases rose by several hundred to 4,542 after dropping over the weekend. There are currently 294 people in hospital and 82 receiving intensive care, which is relatively unchanged.

Eight people lost their lives to the virus in the last reporting period.

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Within Island Health, 29 new cases were discovered. The number of active cases across the entire health authority dropped by only one to 239, while rising slightly in the central Vancouver Island area to 175.

Of the new infections, 22 were in the central Vancouver Island area, which accounts for roughly three-quarters of the Island’s active COVID-19 cases.

There is a data discrepancy between Island Health and the province, based on the timing of COVID-19 results. NanaimoNewsNOW reports local verified data from Island Health.

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