What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for Jan. 5

THE LATEST:

• B.C. health officials provided further details of the province's immunization program on Monday, saying they expect to receive 792,000 doses of vaccine and provide at least one dose to 550,000 people by March.

• Health officials reported 428 new COVID-19 cases and eight more deaths on Tuesday.

• B.C. has 6,472 active cases as of Monday. So far, 954 people have died of the disease.

• There are 367 COVID-19 patients in hospital, including 77 in intensive care.

• Province has extended its state of emergency due to COVID-19.

• To date, 28,209 British Columbians have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

B.C. reported 428 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. and eight more deaths on Tuesday, as it extended the provincial state of emergency due to COVID-19.

The original state of emergency was declared on March 18, 2020.

The province has 6,472 active cases of COVID-19 and 954 people have died of the disease. There are 367 COVID-19 patients in hospital including 77 in intensive care, health officials reported.

On Monday, the province provided additional details of B.C.'s immunization program.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said the province is on track to hit its target of immunizing 550,000 people in high priority groups by March.

The province will reveal further details of how it plans to immunize the general public later in January.

To date, 28,209 people in B.C. have received their first shot of a COVID-19 vaccination as of Jan. 3. The province aims to provide vaccines to 3,300 people a day over the next two weeks.

She added all of B.C.'s vaccine supply received so far will go toward first doses for priority populations until late January. Second doses will be delivered 35 days after the first dose.

The next update from the province is expected to come in a written statement on Tuesday.

Earlier Tuesday, Vancouver Coastal Health declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Heart Centre, Unit 5A, at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver. A statement said the unit is closed to new admissions, transfers and visitors. The rest of the hospital is said to be unaffected.

Outbreaks across several sectors

Students across B.C. returned to school on Monday after the winter break.

At Earl Marriott Secondary in Surrey, nearly 50 cases of COVID-19 were linked to five classes at the school just before the break began.

There is also a significant outbreak at a Tsawwassen seniors' home, and one at a shelter for people experiencing homelessness in Chilliwack.

The province has seen a surge in cases at long-term care homes since November, but with less transparency over the extent of individual outbreaks. In response to questions from reporters on Monday, Henry said it has been too difficult for the province to say how many COVID-19 cases and deaths have happened in individual care homes.

Outside long-term care, five major industrial projects in northern B.C. have been ordered by the province to reduce the size of their workforces in an attempt to ensure the northern health region does not become overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases.

Another 25 cases of COVID-19 have been linked to Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna, bringing the total number of cases in the community cluster to 136.

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What's happening elsewhere in Canada

As of Monday, Canada's COVID-19 death toll was at 16,074, according to the Government of Canada COVID-19 dashboard.

As of Sunday, Canada's total case count was to 616,217.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Common symptoms include:

• Fever.

• Cough.

• Tiredness.

• Shortness of breath.

• Loss of taste or smell.

• Headache.

But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.

What should I do if I feel sick?

Use the B.C. Centre for Disease Control's COVID-19 self-assessment tool. Testing is recommended for anyone with symptoms of cold or flu, even if they're mild. People with severe difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, difficulty waking up or other extreme symptoms should call 911.

What can I do to protect myself?

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Keep them clean.

• Keep your distance from people who are sick.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

• Wear a mask in indoor public spaces.

More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government's website.