Surge in infections: 342 new COVID-19 cases in B.C., most since late May
B.C. health officials announced 342 more cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the largest daily increase in the province's caseload since late May.
Half of the latest cases, 171, were in the Interior Health region, which has been driving the recent surge in infections in B.C.
Wednesday's numbers came in a written statement from the provincial Ministry of Health, and brought the rolling seven-day average of daily new cases detected in the province over 200 for the first time since early June.
The 342 new cases is the highest single-day total since May 27, when B.C. saw 378 new infections.
No new deaths were reported Wednesday. Since the pandemic began, there have been 150,973 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in B.C. and 1,772 deaths.
There are currently 1,764 active cases of the coronavirus in B.C. Of that total, 55 people are in hospital, 23 of them in intensive care.
Most of the active cases - 945 of them - are in Interior Health, where officials recently declared an outbreak and reimposed mandatory mask-wearing in the Central Okanagan local health area.
Elsewhere in the province, Fraser Health added 66 new cases on Wednesday, Vancouver Coastal Health added 57, Island Health added 32 and Northern Health added 13.
Three new infections reported Wednesday were found in people who normally reside outside Canada.
The Ministry of Health does not provide information in its daily case updates on how many people who tested positive have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Asked last week whether the province would start providing that information, Health Minister Adrian Dix told reporters it's reported differently within the provincial system and not easy to put out on a daily basis.
Health officials have repeatedly said that the vast majority of cases seen in the province are among unvaccinated people, with only about four per cent of infections coming in people who have had both shots and the necessary time to develop antibodies after the second.
The recent surge has largely been driven by Interior Health, where vaccination rates are lower. Experts have also pointed to the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus as a reason for the surge.
Three new outbreaks of COVID-19 have recently been declared in care homes in the Interior Health region, according to Wednesday's update.
Those outbreaks are at Kootenay Street Village in Cranbrook and Cottonwoods Care Centre and Brookhaven Care Centre, both in Kelowna.
The number of outbreaks in long-term care homes in B.C. has plummeted since the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines began in late December of last year.
As of Wednesday, 81.5 per cent of eligible people ages 12 and older had received at least a first dose of vaccine in B.C., and 67.9 per cent of that age group had received a second shot.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.