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The Island Health region is reporting 19 new cases of COVID-19 amid a spike in new cases across the province announced by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on Thursday.

The province recorded 617 new cases, up significantly from previous days, which have seen case counts in the 300 and 400 range. More than half the new cases — 342 — are in the Fraser Health region.

There have been four new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 1,321 deaths in the province.,

New health-care facility outbreaks were reported at Mission Memorial Hospital and Fleetwood Villa in Surrey, as well as a community outbreak at the Simon Fraser University Childcare Centre in Burnaby, which Henry earlier said was the result of transmissions that originated from a social get-together.

Henry asked British Columbians to follow province-wide public health orders and restrictions, pointing to an uptick in cases in the Lower Mainland and Northern Health region, where 92 new cases were announced Thursday.

“We all know what we need to do,” she said. “Until we have widespread vaccine availability, these small steps make a big difference in helping to keep all of us safe.”

A total of 180,691 vaccine doses have been administered in B.C. so far, of which 29,952 were second doses.

Data from Wednesday, the latest available from Island Health, show 148 active cases in the region, with 98 of those in the central area of the Island, 40 in the south and 10 in the north. Provincial numbers for the same day show 18 people on the Island hospitalized, including six in critical care, and a total of 23 deaths to date.

ceharnett@timescolonist.com