B.C. is reporting 556 new cases of COVID-19 today, including just 16 in Interior Health.

Across the province, there were also 331 new cases in Fraser Health, 139 in Vancouver Coastal Health, 41 in Northern Health and 27 in Island Health.

Active cases have risen by just 12 cases, to 4,999 today. There are also now 280 people in hospital with the virus and 84 people in intensive care.

There were zero deaths across B.C. today.

The province has also reported 116 new cases with a variant of concern. There have been 996 across B.C. and 130 are active. The total variant cases include 921 with the B.1.1.7 U.K. variant, 41 with the B.1.351 South African variant and 34 cases with the P.1 Brazil variant.

Meanwhile, now more than 424,000 vaccine doses have been administered to more than 337,000 people in this province.

Health officials point out vaccine appointment bookings are open for Indigenous people aged 65 and older and all residents aged 83 and older; appointments can be booked starting tomorrow for residents 82 years old, on Thursday for residents who are 81 and on Friday for residents who are 80.

No timeline has been provided, yet, for when anyone in the general public in B.C. who is 79 and younger can get the vaccine.