A COVID-19 outbreak at on surgical unit 6 South at Royal Inland Hospital has grown to nine cases.

The outbreak was first declared a week ago on June 30 when seven patients tested positive. This past Monday, Interior Health said the outbreak had grown to eight cases before today’s update.

All of the cases are among patients and the virus has not spread to staff.

“We have been able to re-open a portion of unit 6S at Royal Inland Hospital for new admissions,” an Interior Health spokesperson told NL News on Monday.

There were 59 new cases of COVID-19 reported in B.C. today, including 17 within Interior Health.

There are now 78.2 per cent of British Columbians 12 and older who have gotten one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine with 38.2 per cent fully vaccinated.