The province has reported 998 new cases of COVID-19 in the past two days.

Twenty-eight of those new cases are in the Interior Health region.

There were also five deaths in the past two days.

Active cases are now at 4,891 in B.C. , which is a stark increase from 3,741 active cases on Saturday.

There are now 133 people in hospital with the virus and 43 people in intensive care. Since Saturday, hospitalizations from COVID-19 have increased by 28 per cent and the number of patients admitted to ICU has gone up 54 per cent.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry also today has restricted receptions that are linked to funerals and weddings. She says those events can still happen in small groups, but says receptions afterwards have been a main source of transmission.

“Receptions of any kinds at home or elsewhere are not allowed right now,” Henry said today.