COVID-19 update: B.C. reports 2,239 cases, 18 deaths as vaccine card grace period ends
Another 2,239 cases of COVID-19 and 18 coronvirus-related deaths were recorded across B.C. over the weekend, officials announced Monday after the government's vaccine card grace period came to an end.
The latest case numbers, provided in a written update from the Ministry of Health, pushed the province's seven-day average for new infections to 728 per day, up from 650 on Friday. The seven-day average for COVID-19 deaths increased to 5.86 per day, the highest it's been since mid-February.
Six of the deceased lived in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, five lived in the Interior Health region, three each lived in the Fraser Health and Island Health regions, and one lived in the Northern Health region.
The number of infectious COVID-19 patients in hospital decreased to 303, including 141 people in intensive care. That's down from 319 hospitalizations as of Friday afternoon, with 149 patients in ICU.
Officials did not provide a breakdown of the patients' vaccination status on Monday, but the unvaccinated consistently represent the majority of coronavirus hospitalizations.
"After factoring for age, people not vaccinated are 25.9 times more likely to be hospitalized than those fully vaccinated," the Ministry of Health said in Friday's update.
Officials also didn't include the number of patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19 and remain in hospital for treatment, despite no longer being considered infectious. There were 152 such patients going into the weekend.
Fraser Health and Interior Health once again recorded the highest numbers of COVID-19 infections, accounting for 857 and 525 cases, respectively, while Northern Health continued to see the highest rate of transmission per capita.
Northern Health added 125.9 cases per 100,000 residents over the weekend, compared to 63.4 in Interior Health, 44.9 in Fraser Health, 26.8 in Island Health, and 21.4 in Vancouver Coastal Health.
B.C. has now administered 7,802,535 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines, with 87.7 of eligible residents having received one shot and 80.5 per cent having received both.
British Columbians and visitors are now required to show proof-of-vaccination to take part in a number of non-essential activities, including dining in at restaurants or going to the movies, and as of Monday must do so using a government-supplied QR code.
The province's transition period, during which people were allowed to present their physical vaccine records from their immunization appointments, ended over the weekend.
Officials also announced four new COVID-19 outbreaks in health-care facilities Monday, at The Residence in Mission, Hallmark on the Lake in Abbotsford, Magnolia Gardens in Langley, and Cooper Place in Vancouver. Five others were declared over, leaving 21 active outbreaks across B.C.'s health-care system.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
TSB concludes investigation into cause of London, Ont. freight train fire
More than two weeks after a freight train with several railcars ablaze rolled through the heart of the Forest City, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has concluded its investigation.