After passing grim milestone in COVID-19 pandemic, B.C. confirms 2,000 cases, 28 deaths over holiday weekend
More than 2,000 cases were confirmed in B.C. over the Thanksgiving weekend, the provincial health ministry said in its latest update on COVID-19.
In a news release, the ministry said 603 cases were recorded between Friday and Saturday. Another 634 were noted Saturday to Sunday, followed by 468 between Sunday and Monday.
In the final 24-hour period before Tuesday's news release was sent out, 385 further cases were recorded. In total, 2,090 cases were confirmed through testing or epidemiologically linked to other known cases over the long weekend.
And 28 deaths were confirmed in the same four-day period, between Friday and Tuesday. This news comes days after the provincial toll of the pandemic surpassed 2,000 lives lost.
Five of the people who died lived in the Fraser Health Authority, and another five were in Island Health. Three were in Vancouver Coastal Health, seven in Northern, and eight in Interior Health.
With the latest updates, B.C. has seen a total of 194,581 cases since the start of the pandemic, and 2,029 people have died.
Of the latest cases, about 40 per cent of people live in B.C.'s most populated authority, Fraser Health. On a per-capita basis, Northern Health continues to be the most impacted by the pandemic in recent weeks.
The update on the spread of the novel coronavirus in the province came hours after a new mask mandate came into effect.
Children aged five and older, who were already required to mask up in school, are now required to wear face coverings in other indoor public spaces as well.
Also in effect as of Tuesday is a provincial vaccine mandate for long-term care staff and visitors. Nearly 2,000 workers who haven't had either shot of the two-dose COVID-19 vaccine are off the job due to the mandate.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said those who choose not to comply with this mandate are "subject to progressive discipline up to and including termination."
TThe vast majority – 96 per cent – of these workers have had at least one shot.
Health officials in B.C. give daily COVID-19 updates except on weekends and holidays. After a break for Thanksgiving, Tuesday's update included two new health-care outbreaks recorded in the period since the ministry's last case-related news release.
Those outbreaks were both in the Fraser Health area, at West Shore Laylum and Evergreen Manor. B.C. is currently dealing with 19 active outbreaks, and 5,183 active cases.
Of the active cases, 357 people are being treated in hospital. According to the ministry, 153 of those are being treated in intensive care units.
The province did not provide a breakdown of vaccination status based on data from the weekend, but said that from Oct. 4 to 10, people who have not had both doses of COVID-19 vaccine accounted for 73.7 per cent of those in hospital.
As of the latest release from the province, 82.6 per vent of eligible British Columbians had received both shots, and 88.8 per cent had at least one.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Alyse Kotyk
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Israel vows military operation 'in the very near future' following Hamas attack
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza on Sunday after Hamas militants attacked it, reportedly wounding several Israelis, while the defense minister warned of "a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza."
B.C. man wants homes for thousands of books he soon won't be able to read
In the 10 years since John William started to lose his vision, he's been finding new ways to enjoy his vast personal library.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.
Chemical spill could be cause of stinky water in Puslinch, Ont., new report says
People living in Puslinch, Ont. may have the answer to why their water smelled so bad last year.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.