The B.C. government has announced 1,330 new COVID-19 cases, including 257 in the Interior Health region, over the past three days.

The new cases bring the province’s total to 61,447, although the vast majority have already recovered. There are 4,326 active cases in B.C.

The cases were confirmed over the weekend as follows:

• Jan. 15/16 — 584 cases
• Jan. 16/17 — 445 cases
• Jan. 17/18 — 301 cases

Across the province, 343 people are hospitalized with the virus, 68 of whom are in intensive care.

There were another 31 coronavirus deaths reported on Monday, bringing B.C.'s toll to 1,078. Four of the deaths announced Monday occurred in the Interior Health region.

This story will be updated with more BC Interior-specific figures when they are available this afternoon.

There have now been 87,346 doses of the coronavirus vaccine distributed to date, with a focus on staff and residents of the care home system.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said expected global delays of the Pfizer vaccine arrival will slow the rollout of the vaccine for a few weeks starting next week, but shipments should start to accelerate quickly after that.

Henry said access to the vaccine should expand "dramatically" by the end of April.

Photo: Castanet Staff