COVID-19 update: B.C. adds 326 cases, 1 death as Omicron count rises
The B.C. government announced 326 new cases of COVID-19 and one related death on Tuesday, shortly after confirming several additional cases of the Omicron variant.
The update from the Ministry of Health caused the province's seven-day average for infections to decrease slightly to 346 per day, while the seven-day average for related deaths remained at about four per day.
The number of infectious COVID-19 patients in hospital, which reached a three-month low of 241 on Monday, increased by one. The number of those patients in intensive care fell to 82, down from 89.
Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced that four more Omicron cases were identified over the weekend, bringing B.C.'s total to five.
All of the cases are related to international travel, and involve people between the ages of 18 and 60. Three cases were identified in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, and the other two were found in the Fraser Health region.
Henry said there are also a number of "suspect and pending" cases that are likely to be confirmed as Omicron soon.
"That is not a surprise," she added. "As we've said, once we start to look for it, it is likely that we are going to find it. We know this virus travels quickly and it travels in people and when people move the virus strains move with them."
Officials said they will be providing information on new Omicron cases in daily COVID-19 updates going forward, as well as at Henry and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix's weekly briefings on Tuesdays.
While researchers are still working to confirm how Omicron's mutations impact transmissibility, severity of disease and possible vaccine resistance, Henry and Dix have both stressed that getting as many people as possible immunized against COVID-19 is a top priority. Decreasing the spread gives the virus fewer chances to mutate.
The unvaccinated still account for the majority of B.C.'s infections and related hospitalizations, despite representing a dwindling minority of the provincial population. They made up 54.7 per cent of all cases identified from Nov. 29 to Dec. 5, and 59.3 per cent of hospitalizations between Nov. 22 and Dec. 5.
The unvaccinated only represent about 17 per cent of the province's overall population, including babies, toddlers and children under five who are too young for any of the approved vaccines.
As of Tuesday, 85.6 per cent of eligible B.C. residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 82 per cent have received two.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
BREAKING Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.