COVID-19 patient whose induced coma prompted B.C. family's plea for vaccinations has died
A B.C. woman who was in an induced coma due to COVID-19, prompting an impassioned public plea from her family, has died.
Anna Joseph, a resident of Vancouver, was admitted to an intensive care unit after becoming ill earlier this month.
In a post on Twitter, her brother Tyrone said she died at Vancouver General Hospital, surrounded by family and medical professionals. Loved ones were also able to join her in her final moments through a video call.
"What a blessing," Tyrone posted.
It is not clear how she and her adult son, who was also in ICU briefly, contracted COVID-19, but her brother said neither had been vaccinated.
Anna's brother shared his family's story whiled she was in the coma, saying he hoped it would encourage others who've been hesitant to get the shots because of misinformation to reconsider.
Tyrone said it was a surprise to him that Anna and her son were unvaccinated at the time. He'd assumed his extended family shared the views of his immediate family, he told CTV News last week.
He blamed misinformation that has circulated online, especially on social media, for their hesitancy.
But he said there's more to it for some people. The Joseph family is Indigenous, and he said distrust in the government may be a factor for some.
Last year, a report found widespread racism against Indigenous people in B.C.'s health-care system. The damning report from an independent reviewer found a "pervasive mindset of misinformed and prejudiced beliefs about the inferiority of Indigenous peoples" in all health-care settings in B.C., among other issues.
While Tyrone understands that distrust, he wrote on Twitter Wednesday that COVID-19 has disrupted First Nation community norms, and "we must fully pursue efforts to vaccinate and prevent further loss. Our communities and next generations need to act now."
He said previously he hoped his sister's story will change some minds, and that other Indigenous families will look past any skepticism of the health-care system.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S. schools turn to artificial intelligence to spot guns as companies press lawmakers for state funds
Kansas could soon offer up to US$5 million in grants for schools to outfit surveillance cameras with artificial intelligence systems that can spot people carrying guns. But the governor needs to approve the expenditures and the schools must meet some very specific criteria.
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.
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.
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.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Cohen expected to take the stand as testimony in Trump hush money case enters 4th week
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.