COVID-19 update: B.C. adds 379 cases, 6 deaths as hospitalizations fall
Another 379 cases of COVID-19 and six related deaths have been recorded in British Columbia, the government announced Wednesday along with another drop in coronavirus hospitalizations.
There have now been 221,235 COVID-19 infections and 2,369 related deaths confirmed across the province since the start of the pandemic, according to the Ministry of Health.
B.C.'s seven-day average for new cases, which recently levelled off after declining for weeks, remained at 347 per day after Wednesday's update. The seven-day average for COVID-19 deaths also remained at about four per day.
But the number of infectious coronavirus patients in hospital decreased to 224, which is a new three-month low and represents a 20 per cent drop from one week ago. The number of those patients in intensive care also fell to 77, down from 82 on Tuesday.
So far, 85.8 per cent of eligible B.C. residents age five and up have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 82.1 per cent have received at least two. More than 39,000 children between the ages of five and 11 have received a shot since becoming eligible last month.
The province has also given out tens of thousands of third doses so far to combat waning immunity and increase protection for vulnerable groups.
Earlier on Wednesday, there was encouraging news from Pfizer, which said that laboratory tests have found three doses are capable of neutralizing the concerning new Omicron variant.
Unvaccinated B.C. residents still make up more than half of the province's COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, despite representing less than 18 per cent of the population, including babies, toddlers and children who are too young for any of the approved vaccines.
The unvaccinated account for 55.3 per cent of cases recorded from Nov. 30 to Dec. 6, and 64.5 per cent of hospitalizations from Nov. 23 to Dec. 6, according to the Ministry of Health.
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.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
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.
'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.
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.