The Northern Health region saw 31 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, but the number of active cases in the region dropped by 58 from Monday.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control reported 232 active cases remaining in the region, including 18 people hospitalized, half of which were in critical care. No new COVID-related deaths were reported in the region, leaving the death toll from the pandemic at 136.
"Northern Health Medical Health Officers have declared a COVID-19 outbreak on the Medical Inpatient Unit at Dawson Creek & District Hospital (DCDH), following lab-confirmed cases among patients on the unit," a statement issued by Northern Health on Tuesday said. "At the time of the outbreak declaration, testing has identified two inpatients who have tested positive for COVID-19."
Northern Health also reported a COVID-19 exposure at Buckhorn Elementary School. The exposure took place on April 13 to April 15.
Across B.C., there were a total of 849 new COVID cases, bringing the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 120,889, including 6,869 in the Northern Health region. A total of 456 British Columbians were hospitalized with the disease, with 148 of those in critical care.
The province's death toll from the pandemic rose by one, to 1,539.
"There are 9,145 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, with 13,679 people under public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases," provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a joint statement released on Tuesday. "There are currently 6,179 cases of COVID-19 that are confirmed variants of concern in our province. Of the total cases, 163 are active and the remaining people have recovered. This includes 4,041 cases of the B.1.1.7 (U.K.) variant, 76 cases of the B.1.351 (South Africa) variant and 2,062 cases of the P.1 (Brazil) variant."
A total of 1.41 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the province, including 71,848 in the Northern Health region.
"People 35 years and older are now eligible to register for a vaccine in our age-based program on the Get Vaccinated website," Henry and Dix said. "In addition to our age-based and worker programs, people aged 40 and up are also now eligible to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine at their local pharmacy or through special clinics in 13 high-risk communities."
Northern Health is booking vaccination appointments for people 63 and up, and all Indigenous adults. To register, go online to getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca or phone 1-833-838-2323 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily.
A list of pharmacies with AstraZeneca doses available, along with how to contact them to book an appointment, can be found online at www.bcpharmacy.ca/resource-centre/covid-19/vaccination-locations.
