British Columbia reports 656 COVID-19 cases, 16 new deaths

© Getty Images / File Photo A digital image of the novel coronavirus.

Another 16 people in B.C. have died from COVID-19, the province reported Tuesday.

B.C. health officials also recorded 656 cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 33,894.

The number of people in hospital rose by 20 to 336, a record high. Seventy-six of those patients are in intensive care, also an all-time high.

Video: Monday’s three-day B.C. COVID-19 numbers with shocking total of deaths

Tuesday marks the eighth straight day the province has recorded 10 or more coronavirus-related deaths. The province’s COVID-19 death toll now stands at 457.

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The number of active cases in the province dipped slightly to 8,796, and 10,123 people are in self-isolation due to possible exposure to the novel coronavirus.

On Monday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced a total of 2,354 new cases, including all those diagnosed between Friday and Monday and another 277 historical cases added in a data correction.

Video: Another young B.C. COVID-19 victim warns it’s not just ‘another flu’

Henry became emotional Monday as she expressed her condolences to those who have lost loved ones to COVID-19.

Read more: Canada added over 6,000 new coronavirus cases each day since Friday, new data shows

“These people have faces, have names, have stories, have families,” Henry said.

“This tragedy is all of our tragedy and we all mourn their loss. If you are thinking it may be OK to bend the rules, please remember that this virus takes lives and it is the lives of those closest to us that are most at risk when we take risks.”

— With files from The Canadian Press