694 new COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths reported; High-risk seniors to get COVID-19 vaccine first in B.C.: Dr. Bonnie Henry

BC is reporting 694 new cases of COVID-19, pushing the number of active cases past 9,000 for the first time.

Provincial heath officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has also announced another 12 deaths, raising the total to 481.

Dr. Henry says the province is continuing to make progress on Operation Immunize and hopes to begin the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines in the coming weeks.

But she says there will only be limited amounts at first for those most at risk of severe illness and deaths.

British Columbia's top doctor says seniors in long-term care homes and hospitals will be the first to get a vaccine against COVID-19 as the province rolls out an immunization program in the coming weeks.

Dr. Bonnie Henry says health officials worked with their federal counterparts today on ways to facilitate the delivery of a vaccine as they anticipated various challenges that could come up in the immunization process.