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
BREAKING American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, Ontario police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Taylor Swift's new album allegedly 'leaked' on social media and it's causing a frenzy
A Google Drive link allegedly containing 17 tracks that are purportedly from Swift's eagerly awaited "The Tortured Poets Department" album has been making the rounds on the internet in the past day and people are equal parts mad, sad and happy about it.
What does it mean to be 'house poor' and how can you avoid it?
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Allman Brothers Band co-founder and legendary guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, 'Ramblin' Man,' has died. He was 80.