COVID-19 update: B.C. adds 183 cases, 1 death in final update of the week
Health officials in B.C. announced 183 new cases of COVID-19 and one related death Friday in their final update of the week.
The province has now recorded a total of 145,049 infections and 1,710 related deaths since the start of the pandemic.
"Our condolences are with the family, friends and caregivers of the people who have died as a result of COVID-19," provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a joint written statement.
Friday's update marks the fourth consecutive day that B.C. has announced fewer than 200 cases. The province's seven-day average has fallen to 210 cases per day, which is down from an all-time high of 1,130 in April and the lowest the average has been since Oct. 23.
B.C.'s active caseload dropped to 2,453, the lowest it's been since Oct. 30, while hospitalizations related to COVID-19 remained at 224. The number of patients in intensive care decreased slightly to 59.
The declining case numbers allowed health officials to relax several of the province's COVID-19 restrictions last week, and more could be eased as soon as June 15 – but only if transmission continues to slow down.
Henry and Dix said that getting more people fully vaccinated with both doses will help ensure that happens.
"This is what will help us control the spread of the virus in our communities," they said. “Let’s make registering and booking our dose one and two appointments a priority, so we can safely and confidently move forward to the brighter days ahead."
The province has administered a total of 3,488,884 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines, including enough first doses to cover just over 72 per cent of adults across B.C. Only 256,725 of the shots have been second doses.
Of all the COVID-19 cases identified so far in the province, 140,835 – or 97 per cent – have recovered.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.