B.C. Covid update: 1,506 new cases

B.C. is reporting 1,506 new Covid-19 cases from over the weekend, or an average of 502 per day.

That includes 80 new cases in Interior Health.

There are ten new deaths, raising the total to 1,406.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, reported 163 new variant cases for a total of 880, with 195 active cases.

Most of the variant cases are the United Kingdom variety (818), with 41 of the South African and 21 Brazil.

Most of variant cases are in the Lower Mainland, with 23 in Interior Health.

As for the immunization program, 409,103 doses have been administered in B.C., with 87,059 of those being people getting two doses.

Dr. Henry said officials are working on guidelines to allow outdoor religious services in small numbers, and on allowing a gradual, safe, phased reopening of indoor faith services starting in April.

“And more details of that will be coming out very soon,” Henry said.

New cases by health region:

• 382 Vancouver Coastal
• 840 Fraser
• 75 Island
• 80 Interior
• 129 Northern

Dr. Henry said blood clot concerns that have led some countries to suspend use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine appear to be related to 37 cases.

She said blood clots can occur naturally, and that’s out of more than 17-million doses administered so far.

(With files from The Canadian Press)