B.C. public health teams reported 150 new cases of COVID-19 infection on Tuesday, up from an average of below 100 in recent days.
The Interior Health region saw 95 of those new cases, as it continues to lead the province with more than 400 active infections identified. There are 783 active cases province-wide, up from 695 Monday, but serious illness remains low, with 44 people in hospital, up from 43 Monday, and 22 in intensive care, up from 17 Monday.
There were no new deaths or health-care outbreaks in the 24 hours up to July 27.
The increase in infections comes as provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix announced a series of walk-in vaccine clinics at community centres and vacation stops such as the Tsawwassen ferry terminal and fairgrounds. The effort to increase vaccinations, particularly among younger people, includes “Walk-in Wednesday” on Aug. 4, when all established vaccine clinics will accept eligible people without appointments for first doses or second doses 49 days or more after the first one.
Community clinics are listed on a new health ministry website called VaxforBC.
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As of July 27, 80.7 per cent or 3.5 million eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 62.3 per cent or 2.8 million have received their second dose.
The new and active cases by health region:
• 32 new cases in Fraser Health, 196 active
• 17 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, 122 active
• 95 new cases in Interior Health, 412 active
• three new cases in Northern Health, 14 active
• three new cases in Island Health, 35 active
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