Hundreds of scheduled surgeries in B.C. postponed; More than 1,000 COVID-19 cases reported in the province

Hundreds of scheduled surgeries in British Columbia have been postponed as the number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals reaches a new peak.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says 1,750 surgeries at nine affected hospitals in the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health regions have been delayed.

There are 502 people in hospital and more than 160 of those are in intensive care units. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says pressure on B.C.'s health-care system is ``immense'' right now.

The government is also asking specially trained health workers who are now in community settings to return to intensive care units on a voluntary basis to help in the overstretched system.

B.C. reported 1,006 new cases of COVID-19 and four more fatalities, pushing the death toll to 1,550.