Mask mandate extended as BC sees 584 new COVID-19 cases

The province has extended the indoor mask mandate indefinitely.

The policy, which requires masks to be worn in all indoor settings for people 5+ regardless of vaccination status, was supposed to expire on Sunday.

This comes as B.C. saw 584 new cases, as there are now 4,982 active cases across the province, while 436 individuals are in hospital and 156 are in intensive care.

Two of the nine new COVID-19 related deaths in BC were in Northern Health.

The new/active cases include:

• 104 new cases in Northern Health
  • Total active cases: 817
• 85 new cases in Interior Health
  • Total active cases: 684
• 232 new cases in Fraser Health
  • Total active cases: 2,115
• 81 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health
  • Total active cases: 704
• 82 new cases in Island Health
  • Total active cases: 603
• no new cases of people who reside outside of Canada
  • Total active cases: 59

From October  21-27, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 65.1% of cases, and from October 14-27, they accounted for 73.8% of hospitalizations.

Past week cases (Oct. 21-27) – Total 4,098

• Not vaccinated: 2,418 (59.0%)
• Partially vaccinated: 252 (6.1%)
• Fully vaccinated: 1,428 (34.8%)

Past two weeks cases hospitalized (Oct. 14-27) – Total 469

• Not vaccinated: 317 (67.6%)
• Partially vaccinated: 29 (6.2%)
• Fully vaccinated: 123 (26.2%)

Past week, cases per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (Oct. 21-27)

• Not vaccinated: 296.9
• Partially vaccinated: 84.5
• Fully vaccinated: 33.2

Past two weeks, cases hospitalized per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (Oct. 14-27)

• Not vaccinated: 58.6
• Partially vaccinated: 12.7
• Fully vaccinated: 2.7

89.8% (4,163,572) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 85.0% (3,940,563) have received their second dose.

In addition, 90.3% (3,903,864) of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose and 85.6% (3,703,431) have received their second dose.