B.C. records 801 new cases of COVID-19 and 6 more deaths

B.C. health officials announced 801 new cases of COVID-19 and six more deaths on Thursday.

In a written statement, B.C.'s Ministry of Healthsaid there are 5,931active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

A total of 199people are in hospital, 116 of whom are in intensive care.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, areupby 33.6 per cent from last Thursday, when 149 people were in hospital with the disease.

The number of patients in intensive care isupby about 40 per cent from 83 a week ago.

For the period of Aug. 25 to 31, 79 per centofnew COVID-19 cases were among unvaccinated peopleand from Aug. 18 to 31, they accounted for 84 per cent of hospitalizations.

The provincialdeath toll from the disease is now 1,824out of 167,654 confirmed cases to date.

All six of the deaths reported over the past 24 hours occurred in the Interior Health region.

The regional breakdown of new cases on Thursday is as follows:

• 237 new cases in Interior Health, which has 2,112total active cases.
• 267 new cases in Fraser Health, which has 1,616 total active cases.
• 128 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, which has 1,102 total active cases.
• 66 new cases in Island Health, which has 541 total active cases.
• 103 new cases in Northern Health, which has 553total active cases.
• No new cases have been reported among people who reside outside of Canada, a group which has seven total active cases.

Three new health-care facility outbreaks have been declaredat Northcrest Care Centre andMenno Home in the Fraser Health regionand at Hillside Village in the Interior. There are 21active COVID-19 outbreaks in the province.

So far, 7,494,567 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 3,565,148second doses.

Thousands protest vaccine passports outside hospitals

On Wednesdaythousands of demonstrators gathered outsidehospitals in Vancouver, Kelowna, Kamloops, Victoria, Prince George, Nanaimo and other Canadian cities to protestproof of vaccination requirements for non-essential activities.

As the day progressed, health authorities and health-care workers reportedverbal and physical abuse of hospital staff.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix described the behaviour as"despicable."

Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart condemned the actions of protesters, telling them to "go the hell home."

The protests were organized by Canadian Frontline Nurses, a group founded bytwo Ontario nurseswho have promoted conspiracy theories about COVID-19.

COVID cases surge in the North

Provincial Health OfficerDr. Bonnie Henry sayscases have "exploded" in a number of northern communities recently, prompting the reintroduction of some restrictions to the region.

Effective Sept. 7, personal gatherings in homes will be limited to one additional family or five guests.

Prince George's university hospital has seen a 400 per cent increase in COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit in a week and a half.

ICU physicianDr. Lovedeep Kharasaidpatients are coming in "sicker, younger, and requiring ICU and intubation faster than in previous waves."

Dr. Alasdair Nazerali-Maitlandsaid patients range in age from 30 to 80, few of whom have been vaccinated.

British Columbians aged 12 and over who have not yet been immunized can register in three ways:

• Online through theGet Vaccinated portal.
• By calling 1-833-838-2323. Translators are available in 140 languages.
• In person at anyService B.C. location.

People can also be immunized atwalk-in clinics throughout the province.