BC has now recorded more than 3,000 COVID-related deaths

The first day of April marked grim milestone in BC’s battle with COVID-19.

In an update on Friday afternoon, the province reported four additional deaths linked to COVID-19 which means BC has now recorded more than 3,002 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

93.5% (4,332,566) of eligible people 12+ in BC have received their 1st dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

91.1% (4,221,814) received their 2nd dose.

11,495,364 doses of vaccine have been administered.

Full COVID Update: https://t.co/K1wMUQ3oIM

— Adrian Dix (@adriandix) April 1, 2022

In the update, the province also reported 357 new cases of COVID-19 for 356,858 in total.

Of those, 97 were in Fraser Health, 82 were in Vancouver Coastal Health, and 103 were in Interior Health. The Northern Health region had 23 cases, and Island Health had 52.

There are 274 people hospitalized with the virus, 35 of whom are in intensive care.

As of Friday, 90.9% of eligible people five and older in BC had received their first vaccine dose, and 87.4% had received their second.

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Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix are expected to provide another update on the situation on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Canada continues to ease restrictions across the country, including some on travel.

NEW – For the latest detailed #epidemiology of #COVID19 in Canada with highlights, trends and analysis see #PHAC’s COVID-19 WEEKLY EPIDEMIOLOGY REPORT for March 20-26, 2022 https://t.co/zewgup9NBQ pic.twitter.com/3cBnupRfxN

— Dr. Theresa Tam (@CPHO_Canada) April 1, 2022

According to Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam, the most dominant version of COVID-19 right now is BA.2, also known as “stealth Omicron.” Tam says the rise in this variant is encouraged by less stringent public health measures.

“This cautions us in Canada to continue to prepare for further ups and downs of the trajectory, including the spring, as BA.2 continues to spread, and in light of reduced public health measures,” she said during a press conference on Friday.

She added on Twitter, “In the near term, the most significant risk we must prepare for could involve a resurgence of COVID-19 that coincides with the return of other respiratory viruses, including influenza this fall and winter.”