COVID-19 in B.C.: Final case update of the week reveals 405 new infections, 6 deaths
In the final COVID-19 update of the week, B.C.'s health ministry announced 405 more people tested positive for the disease over the past 24 hours.
The update, released in a written statement in the afternoon, also said six more people died from the coronavirus since Thursday. Three of those deaths happened in the Fraser Health region, two were in Island Health and the sixth was in Vancouver Coastal Health.
Friday's new case count pushed the province's rolling seven-day average up slightly to 354. On Thursday, it was 345.
The province's active caseload also rose slightly, from 3,020 to 3,071. Earlier this week, the province's active caseload dropped below 3,000 for the first time in three months.
Of those active cases, 276 people are in hospital and 95 are in intensive care. Both of those numbers are slightly lower from Thursday.
Fraser Health recorded the most new cases (110) in Friday's update. Interior Health had the second most with 97, though Island Health wasn't far behind with 96. Northern Health added 57 cases and Vancouver Coastal Health counted 45.
One new health-care facility outbreak was announced at Ponderosa Lodge, which is in the Interior. In total, five health-care facilities in the province are managing active outbreaks, the health ministry's update said.
By percentages, B.C.'s vaccine rates appeared nearly unchanged between Thursday's and Friday's updates. As of Friday, 85.1 per cent of eligible people aged five and older in B.C. had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. On Thursday, that figure was 85 per cent. However, that slight increase actually represented nearly 6,000 people getting their first shot in a 24-hour period.
Just over 3,000 people aged five and older got their second shot during that time period, meaning 81.8 per cent of eligible people in the province have had both doses.
Since the province just started administering vaccines to those between the ages of five and 11 on Monday, the vast majority of those who have been vaccinated in the province are aged 12 and older.
Among that older group, 91.2 per cent of B.C. residents have received at least one dose, and 88 per cent have received two shots. Approximately 11 per cent, or 468,509 people, have received a third dose.
Vaccinated people are still significantly less likely than unvaccinated people to contract COVID-19 and to be hospitalized in B.C.
While those who haven't received a single vaccine dose make up less than 20 per cent of B.C.'s total population, they made up 54 per cent of the cases counted between Nov. 25 and Dec. 1. They also made up 61.4 per cent of hospitalizations between Nov. 18 and Dec. 1.
Officials in B.C. are closely monitoring all new COVID-19 infections in the province to determine whether they were infected with the newest variant of concern, Omicron.
Experts have noted the variant has an alarmingly high number of mutations, though it remains unclear how they will affect transmissibility, severity of illness and possible vaccine resistance.
So far, just one Omicron case has been announced in B.C.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.