B.C. has 1.3M rapid tests in a warehouse, officials confirm after top doctor called it an 'urban myth'
Chalk it up to semantics.
On Tuesday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry told a news conference it was an “urban myth” that millions of COVID-19 rapid tests were sitting unused in a warehouse somewhere in the province.
Turns out the number isn’t millions, but closer to 1.3 million, or, according to the Ministry of Health, 1,342,150 tests to be precise.
And to confirm, they are indeed sitting in a warehouse.
In a statement, the ministry also indicated it would soon have some 17 million more tests on the way from the supply the federal government announced Wednesday.
Before CTV News received the clarification about rapid test inventory, Mike Klassen with the B.C. Care Providers Association alluded to something not sitting right with rapid test numbers from December provided by Health Canada.
That data, while admittedly dated, showed nearly 2 million tests procured by the province but not used.
“B.C. has a lot of these tests in storage,” Klassen said.
“They do have a shelf life, they eventually expire. So we have to make sure we get to use them,” he added.
Some 100,000 of them have been headed to care homes over the last week, but the rollout for the remaining 1.2 million or so, is far from clear
“(We) will provide an update on what that means for B.C. once we have that information in the coming days,” the ministry's statement said.
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.