Vancouver Island adds 2 new COVID-19 deaths, 82 more cases
The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) identified 82 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region Tuesday.
The new cases were among 652 cases recorded across the province over the past 24 hours, according to BCCDC data.
There are currently 5,992 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 677 active cases in the island region, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.
Thirty-five people are in hospital for treatment of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island, including 15 people receiving critical care.
Island Health identified the locations of 577 active cases Tuesday, including 299 in the South Island, 235 in the Central Island and 43 in the North Island
Two more people have died of COVID-19 in the Island Health region. They were the only deaths reported across the province Tuesday.
Since the pandemic began, 1,942 people have died of COVID-19 in B.C., including 65 deaths in the Island Health region.
On Tuesday afternoon, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix provided a live update on the province's management of the pandemic.
At the live update, Henry announced that B.C. would be offering a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine to residents of long-term care homes and assisted living facilities. The booster shots will begin next week, said Henry.
Roughly 87.8 per cent of people aged 12 and older in B.C. have now received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 80.6 per cent of eligible people have received two doses.
In total, the province has administered 7,812,228 doses of vaccine since it began its immunization campaign in December.
Meanwhile, B.C.'s health minister said Tuesday that more contact-tracing staff will be added to all health authorities across the province.
As of Tuesday, there are 1,164 contact tracers working across B.C., and Dix says the province plans to add another 147 workers as soon as possible.
New temporary health order
During the live update, B.C.'s top doctor also announced that new temporary health orders were coming to the Fraser Health region, specifically the Fraser East local health area, starting Tuesday.
Henry said the temporary measures are similar to what was placed in the Central Okanagan region earlier this summer, including caps on indoor and outdoor social gathering sizes, and limits on capacity for some events.
Additionally, Henry and Dix said that each health authority will soon be posting school COVID-19 exposures on their own websites.
The health authorities will no longer send out letters to school communities about possible exposures, with health officials saying that online updates are a more effective means of communication.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca