Coronavirus: BC sets sombre record with 28 COVID-19 deaths, 723 new cases | FULL

British Columbia has set a sombre new record in its COVID-19 pandemic response, with 28 deaths in a 24-hour period.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the fatalities, along with 723 new cases of the virus, during her Thursday briefing.

Twelve of the deaths were in the Fraser Health region, 15 were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and one was on Vancouver Island. All but two of the new deaths were in residential care facilities, Henry said.

“These are family, these are friends, these are people who had interesting and challenging lives,” she said.

“This is a profoundly difficult day for every single one of those families, for the community and for all of us,” added Health Minister Adrian Dix.

“It underscores our point, I think, that even as we receive the vaccine and see potentially a better future in 2021, that our work to save lives must and will continue for some time to go.”

It means 587 people in B.C. have now died of the virus so far — 146 of whom were reported in December alone.

For more BC COVID-19 news: https://globalnews.ca/tag/bc-coronavirus/

Subscribe to Global News Channel HERE: http://bit.ly/20fcXDc
Like Global News on Facebook HERE: http://bit.ly/255GMJQ
Follow Global News on Twitter HERE: http://bit.ly/1Toz8mt
Follow Global News on Instagram HERE: https://bit.ly/2QZaZIB
#coronavirus #covid19 #bcpoli #cdnpoli #GlobalNews