Final COVID-19 update of the week includes 13 deaths in just 24 hours in B.C.
B.C. is reporting 667 new cases of COVID-19 and 13 new deaths.
The numbers, which cover the last 24-hour period, came Friday afternoon in a statement from the Ministry of Health, in what is expected to be the last case update of the week.
Friday's cases bring the rolling average down to 563, from 574 on Thursday. It's the seventh straight day that the average has declined. The last time it rose was when it hit 671 on Oct. 8, a slight increase from 667 the day before.
Two of the deaths were in the Interior Health region and the other 11 were in Fraser Health.
The province also reported one new COVID-19 outbreak at a health-care facility. That outbreak, at GR Baker Memorial Hospital in Quesnel, is in the province’s Northern Health region. The rural region is seeing high COVID-19 case spread and its intensive care units have been overwhelmed.
One COVID-19 outbreak, at Good Samaritan Delta View Care Centre in Fraser Health authority, was declared over. There are 19 other active outbreaks in health-care settings, according to the ministry.
The new cases means there are now 5,128 active cases of COVID-19. Of the active cases, 367 people are in hospital, 152 of whom are in intensive care. The number of people in B.C. who have recovered from COVID-19 is now 188,851.
As of Friday, 89 per cent of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose, the same percentage reported on Thursday. Despite the fact that the percentage remains the same, an additional 3,314 people received their first dose of the vaccine over the one-day period – it just wasn’t enough to bump the percentage count up. And, 83.7 per cent of eligible residents have received two doses, an increase from 82.9 per cent on Thursday.
Of the new cases, 246 are in Fraser Health, 184 are in Northern Health, 75 in Vancouver Coastal Health, and 59 in Island Health, and 101 in Interior Health.
Notably, however, Fraser Health has more than six times the population of Northern Health, meaning the northern region added far more cases per capita than Fraser Health – or the province’s other three health regions.
To address the spread of COVID-19 in Northern Health, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced new restrictions on Thursday as the region’s hospitals were overwhelmed.
As of Friday, personal gatherings – whether indoor or outdoor – are restricted to fully vaccinated people in parts of Northern B.C.
"If you are unvaccinated or have unvaccinated people in your households, then you need to stay with your household only," Henry said when speaking to the Northern Health measures.
Correction
A previous version of this story said 11 deaths were recorded in Interior Health when it was in fact two, according to provincial data.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.