Nearly 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far in B.C. (flickr/Gov't of B.C.)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

covid-19 update

New COVID-19 cases remain high in Island Health and across province

Mar 19, 2021 | 4:12 PM

NANAIMO — Fluctuating numbers of new COVID-19 cases within Island Health are surging once more.

Island Health reported 37 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, March 19, from a low of 16 two days before. At the peak of the second COVID-19 wave in the fall of 2020, Island Health’s highest one day total was 27.

The number of active cases rose after several days of a downward trend, jumping from 197 to 217. This is still down from the high of more than 300 at the beginning of March.

Currently 105 active cases are in the central Vancouver Island area, which includes the Nanaimo and Oceanside areas. The south Island region is catching up with 83 active cases and only nine in the north Island area.

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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Across B.C., 737 new cases were announced. This is the highest number of new cases found so far in 2021 and much closer to the peak reached at the pandemic’s second wave compared to recent highs in the low-500’s.

More than three-quarters of the cases were found in the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health regions.

The number of active cases across B.C. jumped beyond 5,000 to 5,207. The number of hospitalizations rose slightly to 292, with 85 people receiving intensive care.

There were two new fatalities.

Public health recorded 68 new variant cases with 149 currently active.

More than 490,000 doses of vaccine, primarily the Pfizer dose, have been administered.

Starting Saturday, those 79 and over and Indigenous people over 55 can book their vaccine appointment.

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