A sombre new record in British Columbia as health officials reported 28 deaths in a 24-hour-period, taking the death toll to 587 people.

Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, announced the deaths along with another 723 new cases of the virus, taking the total number of cases to 40,060.

It took 255 days to get 10,000 confirmed cases, another 35 days to get to 20,000, a further 15 days to get to 30,000, and just 13 days to get to 40,000 cases.

All but two of the new deaths were in residential care facilities, Henry said, with 146 of the deaths coming this month alone. Twelve of today’s reported deaths were in Vancouver Coastal Health, 15 in Fraser Health, and one on Vancouver Island.

“We still have a long way to go before we can have the confidence our communities are all safe,” she noted, calling today one of B.C.’s most tragic days yet during the pandemic. “We don’t want to fall back, just as we begin the final push. We need to pace ourselves and work together, even though we are tired.”

“It is a tragedy, every one of our seniors and elders who pass away and the challenge that we are in right now is that this if reflecting the outbreaks in LTC particularly in the Lower Mainland but also in other places in the province.”

There were 82 new cases in the Interior Health Authority, taking the total to 2,502 cases. There are 679 active cases in the health authority with 19 people in hospital, five of those in ICU.

Meanwhile, there are now 40 cases of COVID-19 at the McKinney Place long-term care home in Oliver after 11 staff members tested positive. There are now 27 residents and 13 staff members with the virus.

“Each resident has an identified family contact; they have all been contacted and kept informed,” said an Interior Health statement. “Primary family contacts are being updated on an ongoing basis regarding the status of their loved one, although they will be notified immediately if their family member’s condition changes.”

Active cases of COVID-19 are now at 9,524 across the province, with 346 in people, of which a record 83 are in critical or intensive care.

There are another 11,947 people isolating due to possible exposure to someone with COVID-19, while there are 28,948 people who are now considered to have recovered, about 72 per cent of the total.

“There will be a time we can take our masks off, where we can hug our friends and family, where we can travel again, where we can be together again, but that time is not now,” added Dr. Henry. “We will get there. But the storm is not over.”