B.C. records 500 new cases of COVID-19 and 14more deaths

B.C. health officials announced 500 new cases of COVID-19 and 14 more deaths on Wednesday.

In a written statement,Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix put the number of hospitalized patients at 320 people, 66of whom are in intensive care.

Hospitalizations are at their lowest level since Nov. 30, though the 14 deaths represent thesecond highest total recorded in January.

A total of 1,104 people in B.C. have lost their lives due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

There are currently 4,345active cases of coronavirus in the province, with public healthmonitoring 6,905 people across the province who are in self-isolation due to COVID-19 exposure. More than 55,564 people who tested positive have recovered.

B.C. recorded twonew outbreaks in health-care facilities at Villa Cathay in the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and Acropolis Manor in the Northern Health Authority.

There isone new community outbreak at the Surrey Pretrial Services Centre.

Outbreaks at Guildford Seniors Village and Maple Ridge Seniors Village in the Fraser Health authority, as well as Mountainview Village and Village by the Station in the Interior Health authority have been declared over.

So far, 98,125 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in B.C.

The province has had to adjust its vaccination plan in response to news that Pfizer-BioNTech isn't sending any doses of its vaccine to Canada next week, leaving B.C. with a shortfall of 5,800 doses.