As rolling average increases, B.C. officials announce hundreds more cases of COVID-19
The day after both case-count and death-rate averages rose in B.C., the province's health ministry announced hundreds more cases of COVID-19.
Thursday's update, issued by written statement, included 715 cases recorded in a 24-hour period. Another four people died during that same time.
The latest updates bring the seven-day rolling average to 641 cases per day, up from 621.
Additionally, B.C. has now seen a total since the start of the pandemic of 200,249 cases, which means nearly one in 25 residents of the province have been diagnosed with the disease.
Of those, 192,819 have recovered.
There are currently 4,965 cases considered active, with 377 patients in hospital. About half of those patients (136) are being treated in intensive care units.
Of the latest cases, Fraser Health confirmed the most, with 285 confirmed in the last day. Another 172 were recorded in Northern Health, the region which is currently seeing the highest per-capita rate of cases of the five B.C. health authorities.
All four deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the period examined in this latest update were in the north.
A total of 2,096 people have lost their lives to the novel coronavirus so far in the pandemic in B.C. The seven-day average for daily deaths has dipped to 7.7, down from 8.43 on Wednesday.
Also noted in the provincial release were 60 cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, 61 in Island Health, and 137 in the Interior.
With two new outbreaks in the province, there are now 26 in health-care facilities in B.C.
As has been the case for some time, the majority of new cases and hospitalizations are people who are not considered fully vaccinated. This category includes those who've had no shots or just the first one, as well as those who've very recently been given their second dose.
Looking at the past week of cases and adjusting for age, there have been 308.7 cases per 100,000 population in people who aren't vaccinated at all, compared to 95.6 who are partially vaccinated, and 34.5 fully vaccinated.
In a message posted to social media following the release of the latest data, Health Minister Adrian Dix wrote that 86 per cent of people in critical care due to COVID are not fully vaccinated.
In a breakdown by age, it appeared all people in critical care under the age of 40 were not vaccinated at all.
Looking at all ages, 114 were not vaccinated, compared to three partially vaccinated and 19 with both shots.
The vast majority of eligible British Columbians have had both shots, according to the ministry. As of Thursday, 83.8 per cent of people aged 12 and older had both doses, and 89.4 per cent had at least their first shot.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.