15 more deaths in latest B.C. COVID-19 update
B.C. has recorded 15 more COVID-19-related deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing the seven-day rolling average for deaths in the province to its highest level since mid-October.
That average reached 8.3 with Thursday's update, up from just 1.1 as recently as Jan. 5.
There have now been 2,520 deaths attributed to COVID-19 in B.C. since the pandemic began.
The latest data from the Ministry of Health also included 891 people in hospital with COVID-19, a slight decrease from Wednesday's total of 895.
The number of people in intensive care with the coronavirus has risen, however, from 115 on Wednesday to 119 in Thursday's update.
B.C.'s hospitalization numbers include both people who are admitted to hospital because of COVID-19 infections and those who are admitted for other reasons and test positive as part of routine screening.
The number reported each day is said to be an "overestimate" of the number of coronavirus patients with serious illness in the province, with a recent study in Vancouver Coastal Health finding approximately 45 per cent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients were admitted with the disease, rather than because of it.
Five of the deaths announced Thursday happened in the Fraser Health region. Vancouver Coastal Health and Island Health saw four deaths each, and the remaining two were in the Interior Health authority.
The province does not release the vaccination status of people who die from COVID-19 on a daily basis.
Data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control indicates that people who are unvaccinated accounted for 39 of the 82 deaths recorded in the province between Dec. 18 and Jan. 17. That's approximately 48 per cent of deaths during the period. People who have not been vaccinated make up just 14 per cent of the province's population.
As of Thursday, 89.4 per cent of eligible people ages five and older in B.C. had received at least a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 83.5 per cent had received two shots.
Among adults, 39.3 per cent had received a booster dose.
Many of those who have received their booster shots are residents of long-term care homes.
The ministry announced eight new outbreaks of COVID-19 in such facilities on Thursday. There were also six outbreaks declared over, leaving the province with 58 active outbreaks in its health-care facilities, most of them in long-term care.
As of last week, relatively few of the outbreaks in care homes during the Omicron wave had resulted in deaths, according to BCCDC data.
The latest update also included 2,150 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19. B.C. has been de-emphasizing case numbers since Omicron swamped the province's testing system.
The actual number of new infections in the province over the last 24 hours is likely several times higher than the reported number, since B.C. is recommending against testing for those who are vaccinated and under age 65.
Health officials said last week that they believed Omicron cases had peaked in the province, based on wastewater monitoring.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.