British Columbia reported four more deaths along with 1,006 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.

At a live briefing, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said there were 502 people with COVID-19 in hospital -- a new record -- 161 of them in critical or intensive care.

"The number of hospitalizations and people in ICU continues to be alarming and to rise. The pressure on our health care system is immense right now and our healthcare workers need our help," Henry said as she pleaded with people not to travel, to avoid indoor gatherings and to keep outdoor gatherings small, distanced and masked.

Amid the rising pressure on the health care system, the province is postponing an estimated 1,750 scheduled surgeries at nine hospitals across the Lower Mainland over the next two weeks.

For more: https://globalnews.ca/news/7780993/bc-covid-update-april-22-2021/

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