5 new COVID-19 deaths confirmed in Island Health
Five deaths related to COVID-19 were confirmed in the Vancouver Island region Wednesday, according to the B.C. Ministry of Health.
Across the province, 21 deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, including those in Island Health.
Eighty-seven people are currently in hospital for treatment of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.
That total is down from the 100 patients reported on Tuesday, but up from the 60 confirmed a week ago on Jan. 19.
According to the BCCDC, 10 patients are currently receiving critical care for COVID-19 in Island Health, down from the 13 confirmed yesterday, but up from the seven reported on Jan. 19.
NEW CASES
Another 219 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the Vancouver Island region Wednesday.
The new cases were among 2,086 cases confirmed across the province over the past 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry.
While confirmed cases are not a true reflection of B.C.'s total number of COVID-19 cases, health officials say the tests are used as an indicator of transmission rates in the province.
Health officials add that Wednesday's totals are preliminary due to a "delayed data refresh" and may be updated at a later date.
As of Wednesday, there are 30,058 confirmed active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 1,781 active cases in the island region
VACCINATIONS
Approximately 89.7 per cent of eligible British Columbians aged five and older have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 83.6 per cent have received two doses.
Meanwhile, 42.2 per cent of eligible B.C. residents aged 12 and older have received three doses of vaccine.
Earlier Wednesday, the province also announced it was distributing 250,000 rapid test kits to child-care workers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."