B.C. reports 696 cases of COVID-19, 6 deaths
Another 696 cases of COVID-19 and six related deaths have been reported in British Columbia, as officials prepare to relax venue capacity limits in much of the province.
Wednesday's update from the Ministry of Health pushed B.C.'s seven-day average for new infections to 621 per day, up from 608 on Tuesday.
The seven-day average for COVID-19 deaths increased back to 8.43 per day, where it stood on Monday. Prior to that, the average hadn't been that high since Feb. 3.
Five of the deceased lived in the Fraser Health region, and the sixth lived in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.
"Our condolences are with the families, friends and caregivers of those who have died as a result of COVID-19," Health Minister Adrian Dix said on Twitter.
Once again, Northern Health saw the highest number of COVID-19 cases per capita, with 67.2 per 100,000 population. Interior Health had the second highest with 14.2 per 100,000, followed by Fraser Health with 13.2 per 100,000.
Island Health and Vancouver Coastal Health had 6.9 and 6.4 per 100,000, respectively.
On Tuesday, health officials announced that capacity limits for organized events – including major sporting and arts events – are being lifted as of Oct. 25. Attendees at such events will be required to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination under the province's vaccine card system as of Oct. 24.
The limits will remain in place in areas that are still under regional capacity restrictions, including Fraser East and parts of the Northern Health and Interior Health regions.
The number of infectious COVID-19 patients in hospital decreased to 370 Wednesday, including 139 in intensive care. The unvaccinated continue to make up the majority of cases and hospitalizations, despite representing less than 20 per cent of all B.C. residents, including those too young to be eligible for the approved vaccines.
According to the Ministry of Health, the unvaccinated were infected at a rate of 294.3 cases per 100,000 population between Oct. 12 and 18 after adjusting for age. The fully vaccinated were infected at a rate of 32.1 per 100,000.
Likewise, the unvaccinated were hospitalized at a rate of 54.1 patients per 100,000 population between Oct. 5 and 8 after adjusting for age, compared to 2.6 per 100,000 among the fully vaccinated.
So far, 89.3 per cent of eligible British Columbians have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 83.6 per cent have received two.
Officials also announced one new health-care facility outbreak, at the Swedish Assisted Living Residences in Burnaby. There are now 24 active outbreaks across B.C.'s health-care system.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.