B.C. has added 497 new cases of COVID-19 and three related deaths over the last 24 hours, according to the provincial Ministry of Health.
The update comes on the same day that Health Canada announced its approval of Pfizer-BioNTech's two-dose vaccine for children ages five to 11. The vaccine will be a smaller dose that what's given to those aged 12 and older.
In a joint statement released by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix, the two said they "look forward to making the pediatric vaccine available for 360,000 young British Columbians as soon as possible."
There are currently 3,420 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., according to the ministry.
That total includes 358 infectious patients in hospital, 109 of them in intensive care units.
The largest share of Friday's new infections were found in the Interior Health region, where 146 new cases were confirmed.
Elsewhere, Fraser Health added 138 cases, Northern Health added 78, Island Health added 71 and Vancouver Coastal Health added 64.
- with files from CTV -