COVID-19 in B.C.: Province reports 689 new cases and one new long-term-care facility outbreak in Fraser Health

The vaccination rate continues to climb as 75.3 percent of eligible adults have received their second dose

by Charlie Smith on August 19th, 2021 at 4:05 PM

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There has been a 25 percent increase in the number of reported COVID-19 infections in B.C. today (August 19) compared to August 18.

In its daily update, the province also revealed that there are 689 new cases. That brings the total to 158,256 cases since early last year.

Of those, 5,982 cases are considered active.

The new and active cases include:

278 new cases in Interior Health, with 3,368 total active cases;
219 new cases in Fraser Health, with 1,112 total active cases;
123 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, with 908 total active cases;
42 new cases in Island Health, with 346 total active cases;
27 new cases in Northern Health, with 239 total active cases;
no new cases of people who reside outside of Canada, with nine total active cases.

In addition, the province reported today that there are 121 people in hospital with COVID-19, up 14 cases from 107 on August 18. And there are 56 people in intensive care with the disease, an increase of three since yesterday.

According to the B.C. government, 83.7 percent of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose and 75.3 percent have also received a booster shot.

For eligible people 12 and older, 82.9 percent have received a first shot and 74 percent have received a booster.

Two more people have died of COVID-19 in B.C., bringing the number of fatalities to 1,784 from the disease. One death was in Interior Health and the other was in Northern Health.

There's one new long-term-care facility outbreak in Fraser Health at Heritage Village in Chilliwack, where one resident and three staff members have tested positive. Another outbreak in Island Health at Discovery Harbour in Campbell River, where a total of three staff members tested positive, has been declared over. As of today, there are a total of 11 active outbreaks in healthcare facilities.

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) added the following 14 flights to its lists of public exposures: