COVID-19 update: B.C. averages fewer than 100 cases per day over the weekend
British Columbia averaged fewer than 100 new cases of COVID-19 per day over the weekend, health officials revealed Monday after announcing the province is moving into the next phase of its restart plan.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said only 277 infections were identified over the three 24-hour reporting periods beginning Friday afternoon.
That includes just 68 detected from Sunday to Monday, which represents the lowest single-day increase in cases since September.
B.C. also recorded four more coronavirus-related fatalities over the weekend, bringing the province's death toll to 1,734.
"Our condolences are with the family, friends and caregivers of the people who have died as a result of COVID-19," Henry and Dix said in a joint written statement.
The number of people battling COVID-19 in hospital fell to 136 – a 16 per cent drop from Friday – while patients in intensive care decreased to 42.
B.C.'s active caseload also fell to 1,537, a drop of more than 300 from the last update. The number of active cases across the province hasn't been that low since Oct. 16.
Meanwhile, the province celebrated another vaccine milestone after surpassing four million doses administered in total.
That includes 154,765 given out over the weekend, the majority of which were second shots. B.C. has now administered 4,048,346 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines, including enough first shots to partially vaccinate 75.9 per cent of all adults in the province and 74.1 per cent of those 12 and older.
Henry and Dix have credited widespread immunization for the progress in controlling COVID-19 transmission, which has allowed officials to relax several restrictions in the province. But they have also stressed that more people must get registered and receive both doses to ensure the province keeps moving in the right direction, particularly as the Delta variant circulates in communities.
"Our target immunization rate is 100% – to get as many people fully vaccinated as soon as we can – so please register and book your appointments as soon as you are eligible," they said.
"Let’s keep moving forward safely as we enter this exciting next stage in B.C.'s restart plan."
Step 2 of the province's reopening begins on Tuesday, and will allow residents to travel recreationally anywhere in B.C. and host gatherings of up to 50 people outdoors.
Of the 146,453 cases of COVID-19 identified across B.C. so far, about 98 per cent – or 143,147 people – have recovered.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
A Nigerian chess champion plays the royal game for 60 hours - a new global chess record
A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York City's Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.