What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for Dec. 17

THE LATEST:

• The provinceis ramping up enforcement of public health ordersto ensure more people are following its mask mandate and social gathering restrictions.
• 24new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported on Wednesday.
• 640 new cases of the disease were also confirmed.
• There are 9,950 active cases of COVID-19across the province.
• 362patients arein hospital, with 91in intensive care.
• B.C. has administered its first COVID-19 vaccines.

B.C. is ramping up enforcement of public health ordersto ensure more people are following its mask mandate and social gathering restrictions.

On Wednesday, the province announced it is asking more provincial officers toactively enforce public health orders and issue violation tickets.

B.C. health officials announced 640new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and 24more deaths.

In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said there were 9,950active cases of people in the province infected with the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

A record-high362 people are in hospital, with 91in intensive care.The province's death toll rose to 692.

Public health is actively monitoring 10,538 people across the province who are in self-isolation due to COVID-19 exposure. More than 32,000 people who tested positive have recovered.

• Help CBC British Columbia tell your COVID-19 stories

The provincestarted rolling out vaccinesonTuesday, administering 409 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTechvaccine to front-line health-care workers.

B.C. will use thefirst shipment of 3,900 doses at once rather than reserving a second dose taken 21 days later to immunize as many workers as possible.

Starting next week, the province will receive weekly vaccine deliveries for clinics in every health region, Henry and Dix said.

The province is aiming to immunize 400,000 people by the end of March.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said Wednesday that all Canadians who want a shotwill be vaccinatedby September 2021.

• Stay informed by joining ourCBC Vancouver Facebook groupon COVID-19

Happy news for one affected family

Gillian McIntosh,the Abbotsford, B.C., woman who gave birth via C-section in early Novemberwhilein an induced comaand on a ventilatorbecause of COVID-19, has been eased out of her coma and has met her newborn son for the first time.

According to a family representative, McIntoshwastaken off the ventilator last week.After she tested negative for COVID-19, she finally met her baby over the weekend.

The baby's name, whichwas kept under wrapsuntilMcIntoshcould see him, was revealed as Travis Len. McIntosh didn't know the baby wasa boy.

READ MORE:

• A Kootenay composer has joined thechorus of self-employed Canadianswhofear they may be forced to repay their Canada Emergency Response Benefit, following confusion over theCOVID-19 support program's minimum income requirements.
• The country's spy agency is warning companiesin the vaccine supply chain that malicious foreign actors could threatenthe largest inoculation program in Canadian history bytargeting their workers, among other tactics.
• Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna, B.C., has fired some of its employees for breaking a social responsibility contract, after health officials announcedthat 60 confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been linked to the resort.
• All your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine in B.C. answered here.

What's happening elsewhere in Canada

As of 7:30 a.m ET on Thursday, Canada's COVID-19 case count stood at 481,630, with 75,885 of those cases considered active.

A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial reports, regional health information and CBC's reporting stood at 13,799.