What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for Jan. 12

THE LATEST:

• On Tuesday, B.C. health officials confirmed 446 new cases of COVID-19 in the province over the past 24 hours.
• The provincial death toll from COVID-19 reached 1,019, as nine more deaths were recorded.
• There are 368 people in B.C. hospitals, including 72 in intensive care. 
• There are 5,045 active cases in the province.
• As of Tuesday, 62,294 people had received a COVID-19 vaccine dose in B.C.
• B.C. has run out of doses of the Pfizer vaccine, but an additional shipment is expected later in the week.
• Island Health is delivering doses of the Moderna vaccine to the Cowichan Tribes, whose older members are expected to receive their first shots this week.

B.C. health officials have confirmed 446 cases of COVID-19 in the province over the past 24 hours, as the provincial death toll reached 1,019.

Nine more people have died of COVID-19.

There are currently 5,045 active cases of the virus in the province. There are 368 people in hospital, 72 of whom are in critical care. 

On Monday, Interior Health confirmed an outbreak in the Canim Lake community east of 100 Mile House. So far, 32 cases of COVID-19 have been linked to the First Nations community where, according to the 2016 census, 228 people live.

There are currently 50 active outbreaks at long-term care homes in the province as of Monday and on Tuesday the province announced one new health-care facility outbreak at Mount St. Joseph's Hospital in Vancouver.

B.C. expecting more vaccine shipments this week

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Monday that data from the vaccine trials show the first dose of Moderna's and Pfizer's vaccine is 92 per cent effective and that delaying the second dose by up to a week does not diminish its potency.

She said the danger lies in delivering the second dose too soon, rather than too late, as the body needs time to build a proper immune response.

Henry said that B.C. expected to run out of its supply of Pfizer vaccine by end of day Monday, but anticipated a shipment later in the week. An additional shipment of Moderna vaccine is also scheduled to arrive in B.C. within days.

B.C.'s health restrictions have been extended until at least Feb. 5 at midnight.

The current orders include a ban on gatherings with people outside of one's immediate household. The province's non-essential travel advisory remains in place, including travel into and out of B.C., and between regions.

Cowichan Tribes vaccinations

Doses of a vaccine are expected to arrive on Cowichan Tribes territory Wednesday and members over 65 will receive their first shot as soon as possible, according to the Island Health Authority.

The First Nation has seen case numbers more than triple in under a week and all residents are under a shelter-in-place order until Jan. 22.

People over 65 will be prioritized to receive the shot first. 

According to Island Health, the entire population of the Snuneymuxw First Nation, also located in the mid-Island region, was recently vaccinated after experiencing a surge in cases.

READ MORE:

• The BC Coroners Service has confirmed that at least one refrigerated morgue truck has been deployed to a site in the Fraser Health Authority region, where more than half of the province's COVID-19 deaths have occurred since the beginning of the pandemic. 
• A COVID-19 outbreak at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver has spread to three units.
• This online calculator estimates when you'll receive your COVID-19 vaccine.
• The mayor of North Cowichan slammed what he is calling fear-based racist comments directed at a First Nations community that's been ravaged by COVID-19.

What's happening elsewhere in Canada

As of 9 p.m. PT on Monday, Canada had recorded more than 668,191 cases and 17,086 deaths.

The number of active cases stood at 82,522. 

• Stay informed by joining our CBC Vancouver Facebook group on COVID-19 
• Help CBC British Columbia tell your COVID-19 stories