Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says travel this Christmas out of your bubble is ill-advised. (flickr/gov't of B.C.)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

covid-19 update

Island Health sees 45 new COVID-19 cases over weekend, unusual Christmas looms in B.C.

Dec 7, 2020 | 4:11 PM

NANAIMO — Christmas mingling across the province will be banned.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on Monday, Dec. 7 extended sweeping COVID-19 restrictions, featuring sticking to your own individual households while also maintaining a ban on all gatherings and most forms of indoor and outdoor sports and recreation events.

The social gathering order in the province is extended until Jan. 8.

“As hard as this may be, lets remember the sacrifices we make now will protect our loved ones and countless others throughout the province,” Dr. Henry told reporters on Monday.

She’s announced 2,020 new COVID-19 cases across the province since Friday, including 45 within Island Health.

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Last weekend was the third worst for new COVID-19 cases within Island Health. The record was 58 the weekend before.

The active case count in the Island Health region rose to 199, up from 183 in Friday’s update.

101 COVID cases in the vast central island zone are active, according to Island Health.

One additional person passed away at a hospital on Vancouver Island, bringing the number of lives lost in Island Health to seven.

A further 10 people died of COVID-19 related illness over the weekend.

Dr. Henry said she expects the first shipments of a COVID-19 vaccine provided by Pfizer will arrive next week.

She admitted it will be a small amount handed out to those most at risk, to determine the logistics of a larger rollout.

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