COVID-19 in B.C.: 87 new cases as province hits 5 days below 100
B.C. health officials announced 87 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, marking the fifth consecutive day the province's daily count has stayed below 100.
In a written statement, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix also announced one death related to the coronavirus.
"Our condolences are with the family, friends and caregivers of the people who have died as a result of COVID-19," Henry and Dix said in their statement.
Currently, there are 1,119 active cases of the coronavirus in B.C. That total includes 109 people who are hospitalized, 41 of them in intensive care.
Since the pandemic began, B.C. has seen 147,271 total infections and 1,744 deaths from COVID-19.
As of Wednesday, 75.8 per cent of B.C. residents ages 12 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Among adults 18 and older, the first-dose rate is 77.2 per cent.
The province has administered 4,570,153 total vaccine doses, including 1,051,910 second doses. That means 24.3 per cent of adults in B.C. are now fully vaccinated, as are 22.7 per cent of those ages 12 and older.
“We are progressing well, and we need to keep going," Henry and Dix said. "For every person who gets vaccinated, it will allow us to gradually transition and safely reopen many things that have been on hold."
The pair also cautioned that the coronavirus continues to circulate, even as daily caseloads continue to drop.
"We still have new cases from community transmission every day," they said. "That is why, whether you live in the North, on the Coast or in the Interior, we strongly encourage everyone to get fully vaccinated as soon as you are eligible."
The largest share of the new cases recorded Wednesday was found not in the Fraser Health region, which has seen the highest rates of transmission in B.C. for most of the pandemic, but in Interior Health.
There were 41 new cases in Interior Health Wednesday, compared to 30 in Fraser Health, 13 in Vancouver Coastal Health, three in Island Health and none in Northern Health.
TWO NEW CARE HOME OUTBREAKS
Dix and Henry also announced two new outbreaks of COVID-19, at Hollyburn House long-term care home in West Vancouver and at Minoru Residence in Richmond.
In separate releases earlier in the day, Vancouver Coastal Health said two people at each facility had tested positive.
Minoru Residence was the site of a deadly outbreak of the coronavirus during B.C.'s second wave. Seventy-seven people at the facility tested positive during the outbreak, which began on Dec. 21. Sixty-six of those infected were residents, and 17 of them died.
The outbreak at Hollyburn House is also the facility's second. The care home was among the first in B.C. to record a COVID-19 case back in March 2020. Only one person - a resident - tested positive in that outbreak, according to data from the provincial government. No one died.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
Steve Buscemi punched in the face while walking in N.Y.C.
Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi has been treated for injuries after being punched in the face while walking in New York City.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
opinion Harry and Meghan's Nigerian adventure: Traditional attire to warm welcomes
For her latest column on CTVNews.ca, royal commentator Afua Hagan writes about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent visit to Nigeria, calling it a 'deeply meaningful campaign' that was about aligning their ongoing efforts to foster mental-health awareness and promoting the Invictus Games.
'Terrifying': Manitoba resident speaks on wildfire and evacuation
As a pair of wildfires burn near Flin Flon and The Pas, a number of Manitobans are being told to evacuate their homes.
Ontario's need for nurses, PSWs to top 33K and 50K by 2032: document
Ontario will need 33,200 more nurses and 50,853 more personal support workers by 2032, the government projects — figures it tried to keep secret but were obtained by The Canadian Press.
Jerry Seinfeld speech prompts pro-Palestinian demonstration at U.S. university graduation ceremony
A tiny contingent of Duke University graduates opposed pro-Israel comedian Jerry Seinfeld speaking at their commencement in North Carolina Sunday, with about 30 of the 7,000 students leaving their seats and chanting "free Palestine" amid a mix of boos and cheers.
No concert ticket? No problem — Swifties can still gather at 'Taylgate' in Toronto
Whether you were lucky to nab tickets to one of Taylor Swift's six sold-out Toronto concerts in November or not, a new 'fan experience' hopes to get you into the party spirit.