Active cases of COVID-19 remain on a downward trend in Northern Health, according to B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
As of Thursday, there were 219 active cases in the region, compared to a peak of 353 on April 12.
As well, no deaths were reported for the region after three were added to the toll over the most-recent weekend. The count stands at 136 since the pandemic broke out.
However, 42 new cases were reported, noticeably higher than the seven-day moving average of 33 as of Wednesday.
A total 74,616 people have been vaccinated in Northern Health. On the surface, that may seem low compared to the 508,205 vaccinated in Fraser Health and 352,079 in Vancouver Coastal.
But in a statement, Northern Health spokesperson Eryn Collins said the region is keeping up with the rest of the province once respective regions populations are taken into account.
"In fact, across the province the rate of immunization of eligible populations ranges from about 30 to 35 percent - and Northern Health is at the upper end of this range," Collins said.
First Nations people are accounted for in a separate provincewide total, she also noted.
"Vaccine supply continues to drive our clinic planning and schedules, as well as daily immunization numbers, but NH continues to receive, its adequate proportion of the BC vaccine supply," Collins added.
In a teleconference with provincial media, Health Minister Adrian Dix expressed accolades for the progress being made in Northern Health while also announcing that nine hospitals in the Lower Mainland will limit themselves to urgent and emergent surgeries starting next week and lasting for at least two weeks to give staff a respite.
He said Northern Health was able to perform 300 surgeries in the past week.
"I just wanted to acknowledge the extraordinary work that's been done in Northern Health, especially in the last couple of months by our doctors, by our nurses, by our health sciences professionals, by our health care workers, everyone in Northern Health.
"And I have to just say that Northern Health has been able to slowly resume some non-urgent scheduled surgeries at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia in Prince George and in part due to an effective vaccine strategy to limit the spread in northwest B.C.
"As we saw on Monday, we're taking the same community approach in Dawson Creek, as well as several other communities across the province. This is excellent news for patients in the North and we should all be encouraged by this development."
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, meanwhile, urged everyone - including those who have been getting their shots at local pharmacies rather than health authority clinics - to register on the provincial government's Get Vaccinated website. Doing so will help remind people when they're due for a second dose, she said.
Everyone 18 and over can register starting Friday and bookings for everyone 60 and over will begin that same day.
She also urged people to stay home.
"We know that right now, with the transition rates that we are having, travel will spread the virus further," Henry said. "Staying in our local communities means we are not going to and from COVID hotspots and inadvertently bringing the virus along with us."
