B.C.'s provincial health officer says there are 40 new cases of COVID-19 in the province and there have been five additional deaths.

Dr. Bonnie Henry released the information Friday afternoon in a news release.

B.C. now has a total of 1,410 cases.

A total of 55 people have died from the illness, while 879 people have recovered.

Of the new deaths, two were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and three were in the Fraser Health region.

"We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones," Henry said in the release.

Henry noted there were no new long-term care outbreaks. Twenty facilities have 242 cases of COVID-19 between them.

Cases at the Mission Institution, a federal prison, continue to climb, with 24 confirmed as of Friday.

Hospitalizations drop

Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 continue to drop. As of Friday, 128 people were in hospital, with 65 of those in intensive care.

That is a reduction of four from Thursday, when 132 people were hospitalized.

The Vancouver Coastal Health region has 629 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Other regions have the following number of cases:

539 in the Fraser Health region.

84 in the Island Health region.

132 in the Interior Health region.

26 in the Northern Health region.

In the release, Henry reiterated the importance of maintaining physical distance from family and loved ones, despite it being an important weekend for many religious people.

"This is not the time to travel, unless absolutely necessary," she said.

She encouraged people to stay at home and find creative ways to connect and mark Easter weekend.

"Find the virtue in virtual and telephone connections," she said. "Find togetherness without gathering."

Passengers drive onto a BC Ferries vessel from Tsawwassen to the Southern Gulf Islands on Friday, after provincial officials urged the public to avoid all non-essential travel. (Chris Corday/CBC)

Locals in smaller communities across the province voiced their frustrations Friday as visitors began arriving for the long weekend, potentially carrying COVID-19 to remote areas that don't have the resources to handle a major outbreak.

Many parks and outdoor spaces have been closed to discourage people from gathering outside, especially as spring temperatures rise. Henry said that while she wants people to get outside for fresh air and its benefits, she wants them to stay away from anyone who does not live in their household.

Meanwhile, anyone returning to the province is required to self-isolate for 14 days and must complete a self-isolation plan upon arrival at land borders and at the Vancouver International Airport.

Henry said Friday that the province is prepared for a surge in COVID-19 cases. Around 350 alternative care beds have been set up at the Vancouver Convention Centre and Royal Columbian Hospital.

Here is the 271-bed alternate care site <a href="https://twitter.com/VanConventions?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VanConventions</a> Centre as we continue to prepare for a possible surge of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BC</a>. This adds to the 4400 empty hospital beds.<br><br>BCers have made extraordinary sacrifices. Let's remain 100% committed so we never have to use it. <a href="https://t.co/Zhehbd1xqX">pic.twitter.com/Zhehbd1xqX</a> —@adriandix

Henry asked people to follow the province's advice about how to stay safe from coronavirus, and have compassion for each other.

"Let's continue to stand strong — united with kindness and care," she said.