B.C. health officials are reporting 449 new cases of COVID-19 and nine new deaths, with 58 of those cases in Interior Health.

There were new cases reported at three healthcare facilities in Kamloops with active outbreaks – the Brocklehurst Gemstone Care Centre, the Westsyde Care Residence group home, and at the Highridge Home and Singh House. There were no new cases at the Royal Inland Hospital outbreak, which has 34 active cases, six fewer than yesterday.

Across Interior Health, there are now 899 active cases, with 43 people in hospital and 13 people in intensive care units.

Active cases provincewide are at 4,317 with 224 people in hospital, 63 of whom are in intensive care. A further 6,869 people are being actively monitored after an exposure to someone with the virus.

There were 242 new cases in Fraser Health, 93 in Vancouver Coastal Health, 37 in Northern Health, and 19 on Vancouver Island. The death toll across the province is up to 1,278 people.

“For many of us, this past year will be remembered for the incredible toll that COVID-19 has taken on our province. But of equal importance is the ongoing overdose emergency that has challenged our province even before the pandemic began,” a statement from Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry said.

“Losing more than 1,700 people to the overdose crisis is devastating, and sadly there is no vaccine that will help to end it soon. We remain committed to supporting people who use drugs and are doing everything we can to address the dual health crises affecting our province.”

There have now been 159,887 doses of a COVID vaccine administered, 15, 684 of which were second doses.

And there are now 66,603 people who are considered to have recovered from COVID-19, about 92 per cent of the total 72,305 cases in British Columbia.