Island Health reported 90 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday — the highest single-day count recorded in the region during the pandemic.
The previous high was reported on Sept. 7, when there were 81 cases.
A total of 841 new cases were reported in B.C. on Wednesday.
There are now 5,550 known active cases of COVID throughout B.C., including 485 on Vancouver Island, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
Interior Health had the largest number of new cases, with 272, followed closely by Fraser Health with 241.
There were 261 people in hospital with the virus Wednesday. Of those, 129 were in intensive care units. No new deaths were reported.
On the Island, 17 people were in hospital with COVID-19, including nine receiving intensive or critical care.
New hospitalization numbers released by Health Minister Adrian Dix on Wednesday showed that out of 126 people with COVID-19 in ICUs around the province on Tuesday, 106 were unvaccinated. Half of those were in the 50-59 and 60-69 age categories. There were just 10 cases in fully vaccinated people. They were age 40-79.
COVID-19 causes more serious illness in people who are older and have existing health conditions or who are immune-compromised.
As of Wednesday, 78 per cent of eligible people age 12 and older in B.C. had been fully vaccinated and 85 per cent were partially vaccinated.
Twenty-one health-care facilities in B.C. have COVID-19 outbreaks. Sunset Lodge long-term care home in Victoria reported three additional deaths on Wednesday, for a total of four since the outbreak was declared on Aug. 27.
Dix said on social media that as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, almost 800,000 people in British Columbia had registered for a B.C. Vaccine Card since it was rolled out on Tuesday. Proof of vaccination will be required to access some non-essential venues starting Monday.
ceharnett@timescolonist.com
> How to get a B.C. Vaccine Card, go online to: gov.bc.ca/vaccinecard
