11 more people die of COVID-19 in B.C., as 555 new cases confirmed

B.C. health officials announced 555 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 more deaths on Wednesday.

In a written statement, the provincial government said there are currently 4,321active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

A total of 404 people are in hospital, with 117in intensive care.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by around nineper cent from last week, when 445people were in hospital with the disease.

The number of patients in intensive care is down by about 14per cent from 137a week ago.

The provincial death toll from COVID-19 is now 2,234 lives lost out of 210,758 confirmed cases to date.

There are a total of 29active outbreaks in assisted living, long-term,and acute care facilities, with new outbreaks at the George Derby Centre, Dufferin Care Centre, and Royal Inland Hospital. Six outbreaks were declared over by the province, including one at theUniversity Hospital of Northern B.C.

Acute care outbreaksinclude:

• Mission Memorial Hospital
• Queen's Park Care Centre
• Abbotsford Regional Hospital
• Burnaby Hospital
• Royal Inland Hospital
• G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital
• Bulkley Valley District Hospital
• Nanaimo Regional General Hospital

As of Wednesday, 90.5per cent of those 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of aCOVID-19 vaccineand 86.4 per cent asecond dose.

From Nov. 2 to 8, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 63.1 per cent of cases and from Oct. 26,they accounted for 70.8 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

So far, 8.3million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including just over fourmillion second doses.

Surrey mandates vaccines for municipal workers

The City of Surrey announced that municipal employees would be subject to a vaccine mandate on Wednesday.

Employees, council members, and staff have to show proof of full vaccination by Jan. 4, 2022.

If a worker has not shown proof of vaccination by then, they will be entered into mandatory rapid testing for the rest of January, with the city covering the cost of rapid test kits.

But after Feb. 1 next year, employees will be responsible for paying for their rapid tests if they still have not been fully vaccinated. Those who refuse to enter into the rapid testing program will be placed on unpaid leave for 30 days.

The mandate also extends to volunteers and contractors at city facilities. If they do not show proof of full vaccination by Jan. 4, they will not be allowed to work alongside other municipal employees.

"The City of Surrey's goal is to continue to ensure the greatest possible protection for the individual health of citizens and employees," a spokesperson said in a statement.

Travel testing policy under review

As the U.S. reopens its land borders, the federal government is "actively looking"atitsCOVID-19testing policy, according to Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam.

Travellers entering Canada must provide proof of anegative molecular COVID-19 test taken within 72 hoursof their departingflight or planned arrival at the land border. These molecular tests such as the popular PCR test can cost hundreds of dollars.

Some experts are suggesting Ottawa look at using the less expensive, faster and more convenient antigen tests, which are used to screen travellers in the U.S. but are less reliable.

"I would expect the federal government to take action on that and I think they will. But I also think that given that the borders just opened, I'm not going to criticize the federal government for being prudent and taking it one step at a time. And that's what they're doing," Health Minister Adrian Dix told CBC's The Early Edition earlier this week.