Coronavirus: 18 more B.C. lives claimed by virus

While no daily records were broken, B.C. averaged a concerning high number of test-positive COVID-19 infections this past weekend as the third wave of the pandemic continues.

Today (April 12), Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reported a 72-hour total of 3,289 lab-confirmed cases for the virus for a new grand total of 112,829 since January 2020, averaging just under 1,100 cases per day.

This included 125 found in Northern Health, now totalling 6,567 since March 14, 2020.

Dr. Henry delivered the news of 18 people that succumbed to COVID-19 in the last three days, most of which died in hospital she said, raising the province's death toll to 1,513 during the pandemic.

One person was a Northern Health resident for an authority toll of 130 since the virus reached the region.

The latest weekend case counts are as follows; B.C.'s daily record is 1,293 infections on April 8:

1,283 = Friday to Saturday
- Nine deaths
1,036 = Saturday to Sunday
- Five deaths
970 = Sunday to Monday
- Four deaths

As of Friday (April 9), Northern Health has recorded a total of 19 variant-of-concern cases, including 17 of the B.1.1.7 (U.K.), one of the B.1.351 (South Africa) and one of P.1 (Brazil).

Currently, there are 9,937 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 121 people admitted into critical care or ICU among 368 hospitalizations.

Hospitalization numbers at University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC) are noticeably decreasing, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said, pointing to immunizations as the reason for the decline.

Dr. Henry noted 15,900 people are being actively monitored by public health officials after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for the virus, along with 101,216 recoveries.

If you're between 55 and 65 years old, you can now get a COVID-19 vaccine at select Prince George pharmacies.

The province's AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine-rollout program expanded on April 3 for those wishing to receive a dose before their designated eligibility group for Pfizer or Moderna.

The following 10 Prince George pharmacies are participating and you're encouraged to call in advance or check online for booking:

Costco Pharmacy #158 - 2555 Range Rd.
Hart Drug Mart - 6707 Dagg Rd.
Loblaw Pharmacy #1562 - 2155 Ferry Ave.
Save-on-Foods Pharmacy #967, Spruceland - 555 Central St. West
Shoppers Drug Mart #0210 - Spruceland Shopping Centre
Shoppers Drug Mart #0628 - Unit 185 3055 Massey Dr.
Shoppers Drug Mart #2226 - College Heights Plaza
Shoppers Drug Mart #2287 - 6760 Madill Rd.
Third Avenue Pharmacy - 1467 3rd Ave.
Wal-Mart Pharmacy #3651 - 6565 Southridge Ave.

In education, an up-to-date list of northern B.C. schools marked for a recent COVID-19 exposure event, and listed with a self-monitoring period, is as follows: