88 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Island Health over the weekend as the number of active cases increased. (The Canadian Press)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

COVID-19 UPDATE

Active COVID-19 cases in Island Health creep past 300

Mar 1, 2021 | 4:21 PM

NANAIMO — Island Health lost a little ground over the weekend in its battle against COVID-19.

The health authority confirmed 88 new cases from three reporting periods since Friday, Feb. 26. It’s the second largest weekend increase through the pandemic so far, surpassed only by the 101 cases found a week prior.

The central Island region accounted for over 60 per cent of the weekend cases and leads all areas of the health authority in both total and active cases.

Island Health now has 303 active cases, an increase of 43 from Friday’s report. A total of 188 cases remain active in the central Island region.

Across B.C. 1,478 cases were confirmed by public health, pushing B.C.’s total through the pandemic to date to 80,672.

niche amenities

Trio of community park projects advancing in Nanaimo

43m ago

roster shakeup

Nanaimo Clippers lose two major players to Major Junior ranks

16h ago

armed robbery

Knife-wielding man robs south Nanaimo liquor store

Dec 14, 2024

The daily increases remain in line with the province’s rolling seven day average of 478, which was last updated on Feb. 25.

Active cases dropped to 4,464, a decrease of 201 from Friday.

The number of people in hospital, 236 including 65 in intensive care, remained relatively stable over the weekend.

Eight more fatalities were linked to COVID-19, taking B.C.’s death toll to 1,363 including 26 in the Island Health authority.

On Monday, the province updated its vaccine rollout plan to stretch the time between the first and second dose of vaccine to 16 weeks.

As of Mar. 1, 275,681 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered across the province

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @NanaimoNewsNOW