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
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.