Vancouver Island adds 68 new COVID-19 cases; 'no evidence' of Omicron variant in B.C.
Health officials in British Columbia identified 68 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region Friday.
The new cases were among 341 cases identified across the province over the past 24 hours.
There are currently 3,035 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 448 active cases in the Island Health region, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.
Island Health data identified the locations of 401 active cases Friday, including 92 in the South Island, 202 in the Central Island and 107 in the North Island.
Six COVID-19-related deaths were reported in B.C. on Friday. None of the deaths were in the Vancouver Island region. Three deaths were in the Fraser Health region, two were in Vancouver Coastal Health and one was in Northern Health.
Since the pandemic began, 2,322 people have died of COVID-19 in B.C. including, 119 deaths in the island region.
There are currently 51 people in hospital for treatment of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island, including 15 patients who require critical care.
NO EVIDENCE OF NEW VARIANT IN B.C.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said there was no indication Friday that a new coronavirus variant of concern (VOC), known as Omicron, had made its way to the province.
"At this time, there is no evidence that this variant has been introduced into British Columbia," Dix and Henry said in a statement.
"The BC Centre for Disease Control’s public health lab has sequenced over 90,000 virus isolates in B.C. and will continue to use whole genome sequencing to monitor for all variants circulating in B.C., including this new VOC Omicron," they added.
The health officials said they support the federal government's decision Friday to temporarily block travellers from entering Canada from southern Africa, where the new variant was first reported.
"We support the measures taken today by the federal government in response to the newly identified variant of concern, Omicron," Dix and Henry said. "We do not yet know the impact this new VOC will have on transmission or of severity of illness, but taking this immediate precautionary action is prudent. We will continue to closely monitor developments around the world."
Approximately 91 per cent of eligible British Columbians have now received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 87.6 per cent have received two doses.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
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.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
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.
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.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
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.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.