British Columbia has recorded another 652 cases of COVID-19 and two related deaths, according to an update posted after officials announced new regional restrictions for part of the Lower Mainland.
The latest numbers were shared on the B.C. Centre for Disease Control's COVID-19 dashboard on Tuesday afternoon, and pushed the province's seven-day average for new infections to 746 per day, up from 728 on Monday.
The dashboard also indicated coronavirus hospitalizations increased to 316, up from 303 on Monday, with 141 patients in intensive care.
B.C.'s active caseload dipped below 6,000, to 5,992.
Earlier in the day, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced targeted COVID-19 measures for the Fraser East local health area, including limits for personal gatherings and organized events that include non-vaccinated guests.
Officials also revealed the province will begin offering COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to residents of long-term care homes and assisted living facilities.
The BCCDC dashboard did not have an updated vaccination total, but 87.7 per cent of the eligible population age 12 and up had received at least one dose as of Monday's update, and 80.5 per cent had received both doses.
Henry shared data on the province's recent spike in cases among children and youth under the age of 18, who accounted for 1,086 cases in the week ending on Sept. 23. She noted that transmission among school-aged kids has been much higher in areas of lower vaccination rates, including the Northern Health and Interior Health regions.