COVID-19 update: B.C. adds 605 cases, 4 deaths
B.C. added 605 new cases of COVID-19 to its total on Wednesday, along with four new deaths.
The latest numbers bring the province to 195,186 confirmed cases and 2,033 deaths since the pandemic began.
There are now 5,172 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 374 people who are hospitalized, 153 of them in intensive care and still infectious.
After a long weekend that saw one of the lowest single-day totals for new coronavirus infections in B.C. in two months, the province's seven-day rolling average for new cases has declined to 580, the lowest it's been since Aug. 21.
Infection and hospitalization rates remain high, however, and on Tuesday health officials pleaded with unvaccinated residents - particularly in Northern Health - to get immunized.
As of Wednesday, 88.9 per cent of people 12 and older in B.C. had received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 82.7 per cent had received both shots.
Though they make up a small proportion of the province's total population, unvaccinated people continue to make up the majority of new infections.
From Oct. 5 through 11, unvaccinated people accounted for 61.1 per cent of the 4,206 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C.
Similarly, those who are unvaccinated accounted for 66.2 per cent of the 346 new hospitalizations in the province between Sept. 28 and Oct. 11.
Most of the new cases reported Wednesday were in the Fraser Health region, which saw 245 new infections.
Elsewhere, there were 119 new cases in Interior Health, 92 in Island Health, 82 in Vancouver Coastal Health, and 67 in Northern Health.
On a per-capita basis, however, Northern Health continues to have the highest infection rate. The region added 22.3 new cases per 100,000 residents in Wednesday's update, compared to 14.6 in Interior Health, 12.7 in Fraser Health, 10.7 in Island Health and 6.6 in Vancouver Coastal Health.
Three of the deaths reported Wednesday were in Northern Health, while the fourth was in Island Health.
Wednesday's update also saw a COVID-19 outbreak declared at Tofino General Hospital.
The outbreak at The Residence in Mission was declared over, leaving the province with a total of 19 active outbreaks, including 16 in long-term care and assisted-living facilities.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
NEW Iconic Canadian song turns 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Prince Harry, Meghan arrive in Nigeria to champion the Invictus Games and meet with wounded soldiers
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, arrived in Nigeria on Friday to champion the Invictus Games, which he founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans, among them Nigerian soldiers fighting a 14-year war against Islamic extremists.
Countries struggle to draft 'pandemic treaty' to avoid mistakes made during COVID
After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an agreed-upon plan for how the world might respond to the next global outbreak.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.