B.C. health officials reported another 521 new cases of COVID-19 today along with seven more deaths.

Only 48 of those new cases reported were in Interior Health. There were 282 new cases in Fraser Health, 121 in Vancouver Coastal Health, 37 on Vancouver Island, and 33 in Northern Health.

Province wide there are 4,665 active cases with 232 people in hospital with COVID-19 – those figures have been relatively unchanged this week. A further 8,040 people are being actively monitored by publics health teams because of an exposure to a known case.

Interior Health says there have been no new cases at outbreaks in Kamloops – at the Highridge/Singh House group home (13 cases), Westsyde Care Residences (30 cases), Brocklehurst Gemstone Care Centre (32 cases) or at the Florentine in Merritt which has two cases.

Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, says there have been 252,373 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine administered in B.C., with 73,808 being second doses. She also says it is encouraging news that Health Canada has approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for us in this country.

“This new vaccine will be integrated into our provincial immunization program as delivery and supply is confirmed in the coming weeks,” she said. “The additional supply will allow us to look at accelerating immunization of priority populations and essential workers.”

Henry, and Premier John Horgan say the approval will mean one more layer of protection to help people get through this pandemic.

“The approval of AstraZeneca vaccine gives us another option to look at how we can look how to manage the various and sundry issues and interests when it comes to the vaccination program,” Horgan said. “I believe people should take great comfort in the fact there are more options but how that will play out is up to the health officers, not me.”

There are now 73,188 people who are considered to have recovered, roughly 92 per cent of the total 79,262 cases in British Columbia.

Editors Note – A previous version of this story said there were 589 cases of COVID-19, as reported by the health officials, who later corrected those numbers.