For the first time since May, someone sick with COVID-19 in the Island Health region has died.
The death was the only one reported in B.C. on Tuesday.
There were 501 new cases in the province. Twenty-eight of the new cases were in Island Health, which has 307 known active cases.
More than half are in the southern Island, according to the health authority.
Across B.C., the number of active infections is up to 5,296, with about 58 per cent in the Interior Health region.
New infections in B.C. have been rising, with a high of 717 reported on Friday, as are hospitalizations.
There are 111 people in hospital with COVID-19, an increase of seven since Monday, with 51 in intensive care. Both of those metrics are the highest that they have been since June.
In the first 17 days of August, there were 10 reported COVID-related deaths. There were 17 in all of July.
The death toll from COVID‑19 in the province is now 1,781.
According to the Health Ministry, 82.7 per cent of eligible B.C. residents have received at least one dose of a COVID‑19 vaccine, while 73.5 per cent have received two.
There remain 10 active outbreaks in assisted-living and long-term care homes, including one at Discovery Harbour in Campbell River, where three staff tested positive for the virus.
— With files from Glacier Media
