155 new COVID-19 cases reported in B.C.; active cases rise past 1,500

BC has had 155 new cases of COVID-19.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and deputy health minister Stephen Brown say there are 1,513 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Another 3,713 are being monitored after an identified exposure to known cases.

There has been one more COVID-19 related death, for a total of 251 deaths in British Columbia.

155 people have tested positive in the province, bringing B.C.'s total to 11,189.

An outbreak of COVID-19 at the main Tim Hortons restaurant in Merritt, B.C., has set off a voluntary closure of the restaurant.

The Interior Health authority says the business had precautions in place to prevent transmission to the public and its investigation has determined there was no exposure to the general public.

It says all confirmed cases are isolating while contact tracing is underway and the authority will increase testing capacity in Merritt to address any possible additional demands.

It says there is no evidence that COVID-19 is spread through food made by infected people.