B.C. records 468 new cases of COVID-19 and 9 more deaths

B.C. health officials announced 468 new cases of COVID-19 and nine more deaths on Thursday.

In a written statement, the provincial government said there are currently 3,345 active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

A total of 355 people are in hospital, with 110 in intensive care.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by 12 per cent from last week, when 404 people were in hospital with the disease.

The number of patients in intensive care is down by nearly six per cent from 117 a week ago

The provincial death toll from COVID-19 is now 2,290 lives lost out of 214,150 confirmed cases to date.

The regional breakdown of new cases is as follows: 

• 173 new cases in Fraser Health, which has 1,220 total active cases.
• 85 new cases in Interior Health, which has 612 total active cases.
• 72 new cases in Island Health, which has 460 total active cases.
• 69 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, which has 505 total active cases. 
• 68 new cases in Northern Health, which has 489 total active cases.
• There is one new case among people who reside outside of Canada, a group which has 59 total active cases.

There  are a total of 21 active outbreaks in assisted living and long-term and acute care. The outbreak in the rehabilitation unit at Queen's Park Care Centre has been declared over. 

Acute care outbreaks include:

• Abbotsford Regional Hospital
• Burnaby Hospital 
• Ridge Meadows Hospital 
• Royal Inland Hospital 
• Nanaimo Regional General Hospital 

As of Thursday, 90.8 per cent of those 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 87 per cent a second dose.

From Nov. 10 to 16, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 60.4 per cent of cases and from Nov. 3 to 16, they accounted for 70.3 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

So far, 8,488,846 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including more than four million second doses.

Northern Health extends restrictions indefinitely

Regional public health orders for most of northern B.C. that were set to expire this week will remain in place, according to Northern Health.

Restrictions for the region were implemented Oct. 14, and were set to expire this Friday at midnight. However, due to ongoing COVID-19 transmission, health officers say the need for restrictions remains.

Personal indoor and outdoor gatherings will continue to be restricted to fully vaccinated people only, and indoor restrictions are limited to five people. Outdoor gatherings must be capped at 25 people.

Indoor organized events are limited to 50 people, but outdoor organized events can have up to 100 people in attendance. 

Organized events require a COVID-19 safety plan, and everyone must wear masks and attendees must be fully vaccinated.

Alcohol service ends at 10 p.m. in restaurants and bars, and nightclubs will stay closed.

Sporting events are limited to 50 per cent capacity, attendees must wear masks, and a COVID-19 safety plan must be in place, including the use of B.C.'s proof-of-vaccination card.

The health authority says these measures will remain in effect pending further assessment of the region's COVID-19 situation.

Health Canada expected to approve Pfizer's pediatric vaccine

The first COVID-19 vaccine for children could be approved as soon as Friday, CBC News has learned.

A source — who spoke on the condition they not be named because they weren't authorized to speak on the record — said the government is talking to Pfizer-BioNTech now to firm up delivery timelines.

Health Canada received the company's submission for approval of its pediatric vaccine on Oct. 18.

Last week, Moderna asked Health Canada to approve its COVID-19 vaccine for children six to 11 years of age.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix says more than 75,000 British Columbians aged five to 11 years old, about 21 per cent of children in that age group, have been registered to receive the vaccine once it becomes available.

"I want to encourage parents to to register their children five to 11 to get their vaccine through the ImmunizeBC system," he told reporters Thursday.

More information about the rollout of vaccines for children will be presented Tuesday, Dix said.