COVID-19 update: B.C. adds 402 cases as seven-day average nears 250
B.C.'s Ministry of Health announced another 402 cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, pushing the province's seven-day average for new infections to nearly 250.
The update also represents the biggest single-day increase in cases B.C. has seen since May 21. The province's active caseload jumped to 2,066 as well, the highest it's been since June 7.
B.C.'s ongoing surge in COVID-19 infections has caused some concern that the province could be heading for a fourth wave of the pandemic.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry noted Thursday that 95 per cent of recent cases have involved people who are not fully immunized against the disease, and described the surge in infections as "a wave of cases in the unvaccinated."
"I am grateful to all the British Columbians who have rolled up their sleeves to get their COVID-19 vaccine," she said in a news release. "This simple act brings us one step closer to putting the pandemic behind us."
Health officials have indicated their response remains focused on bringing up vaccination numbers. The government held its first "Walk-in Wednesday" event this week, allowing people to get first or second doses without booking an appointment, and said more than 16,000 people took part.
"From Vanderhoof to Victoria, from Chilliwack to Creston, we saw thousands of people throughout B.C. drop in for Walk-in Wednesday and do their part to get vaccinated," Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a statement.
A total of 33,000 doses of vaccine were administered Wednesday, including walk-in appointments, which is the most given out in a day since July 10.
The province has administered a total of 6,965,062 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines so far, including enough first doses for nearly 82 per cent of eligible residents age 12 and older. Just over 68 per cent of eligible British Columbians have received both doses.
The government has implemented other measures to combat climbing case numbers. Interior Health, which is battling a unique increase in transmission, recently declared a regional outbreak in the Central Okanagan and re-instituted a local mask mandate.
Of the cases announced Thursday, more than half – 234 – were recorded in Interior Health.
No one has died from COVID-19 since Wednesday's update, leaving the province's death toll at 1,722.
The number of COVID-19 patients in hospital increased to 58, though the number in intensive care decreased slightly to 21.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.
Russia announces nuclear weapon drills after angry exchange with senior Western officials
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Israeli army tells Palestinians to evacuate parts of Gaza's Rafah ahead of an expected assault
The Israeli army ordered some 100,000 Palestinians on Monday to begin evacuating from the southern city of Rafah, signaling that a long-promised ground invasion there could be imminent and further complicating efforts to broker a cease-fire in Gaza.