Interior Health reports 38 new cases of COVID-19, more than 320,000 first doses administered

Another 38 cases of COVID-19 were identified in the BC Interior over the past 24 hours.

It brings the region to 11,287 total cases since the start of the pandemic, with 529 currently active.

There are 24 people in Interior Health hospitals with COVID-19 right now and 13 of them are in critical care.

IH also announced on Friday that more than 320,000 first doses of the vaccines have been administered throughout the health authority.

“Across Interior Health, hundreds of people attending their appointments at immunization clinics every day and emerging with a dose of vaccine that will protect them from serious illness or death by COVID-19,” IH president and CEO Susan Brown said.

“It’s uplifting to see the excitement of newly vaccinated people.”

Here’s an update from the health authority on its three active outbreaks:

• Sandalwood Retirement Resort independent living in Kelowna has 28 cases: 26 residents and two staff, with one death connected to the outbreak
• Orchard Haven long-term care in Keremeos has two cases: one resident and one staff
• Spring Valley long-term care in Kelowna has 33 cases: 23 residents, 10 staff/other, with three deaths connected to the outbreak