20 COVID-19 deaths recorded over the weekend in B.C., latest update says
Twenty more people have died of COVID-19 in a 72-hour period in B.C.
During the same three days, another 1,618 cases of the disease were confirmed.
This brings the rolling seven-day case count average down to 605 per day, from 638 on Friday.
The new numbers came in a written updated provided Monday by the Ministry of Health.
There were 613 cases identified between Friday and Saturday, followed by 529 between Saturday and Sunday, and 476 between Sunday and Monday.
Another 1,730 people recovered from COVID-19 over the weekend as well, pushing the number of active cases to 4,966, down from 5,106 on Friday.
Of the active cases, 366 people are in hospital and 149 are in intensive care. The remaining people are at home recovering in self-isolation.
The 20 deaths were spread out over B.C.’s five health authorities. Four people died in Fraser Health, three died in Vancouver Coastal Health, six died in Interior Health, four died in Northern Health and three died in Island Health.
The latest numbers on vaccines show that more and more B.C. residents are getting vaccinated against COVID-19. As of Monday, 90 per cent of eligible adults have received their first dose, and 85 per cent have received their second. Province-wide, among people 12 and older, 89.6 per cent have received at least one dose – up from 89.4 per cent on Friday – and 84.4 per cent have received two doses - up from 83.9 per cent on Friday.
B.C. health officials also confirmed that there have were five new COVID-19 outbreaks at health-care facilities recorded over the weekend. Four outbreaks – at Chilliwack General Hospital, Valleyhaven Retirement Community, Harrison Pointe, and Norman Manor – are in Fraser Health and one outbreak, at Amica Edgemont retirement home, is in Vancouver Coastal Health.
The outbreak at Tofino General Hospital, located in the Island Health authority, has been declared over. This, combined with previously reported outbreaks, means there’s a total of 29 active outbreaks in health-care settings.
Much of B.C.’s Northern Health region is currently under stricter COVID-19 health measures than the rest of the province, in order to address the high rates of transmission seen in that area. Over the weekend’s three-day reporting period there were 289 new cases recorded in the north. The only health authority that saw a higher number of new cases is Fraser Health, which say 699 new case. But per capita, Northern Health’s case rate is higher – the health authority recorded 101.6 cases per 100,000 population over the weekend, compared to 36.6 per 100,000 in Fraser Health.
Meanwhile, there were 190 new cases recorded in Vancouver Coastal Health, 254 new cases in Interior Health and 186 new cases in Island Health. No new cases among people who normally reside outside of Canada were recorded, but there are still 59 active cases among this group.
Monday's update comes as vaccine rules in the province increase. As of Sunday, proof of vaccination to access many non-essential businesses in the province requires two doses, not just one. As well, health-care workers must show proof they're vaccinated by Tuesday or face consequences.
But with those additional rules, some restrictions are easing. As of Monday, capacity limits at many venues in the province where no regional restrictions are in place have lifted.
On Friday, B.C.'s case average was the second highest of any province or territory in Canada, behind Alberta.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.