B.C. hits new record for COVID-19 hospitalizations at 515, five more deaths

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in British Columbia has ticked up to 515, breaking a previous record set last week.

Among those hospitalized, 171 people are in intensive care.

Five more people have died after contracting the illness, pushing the death toll in the province to 1,576.

The number of active infections was down to just over 8,000 as health officials reported 841 new cases on Wednesday.

A joint statement from provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix says B.C. has now administered more than 1.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, of which close to 90,000 are second shots.

Vaccine bookings will open to people age 58 and older at midnight, while people age 30 and up who live in COVID-19 hot spots are now eligible to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in B.C.