Vancouver Island adds 57 cases of COVID-19 as Omicron variant detected in B.C.
Another 57 new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the Vancouver Island region Tuesday.
The new cases were among 358 cases confirmed across the province over the past 24 hours.
There are currently 2,889 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 539 active cases in the Island Health region, according to the Health Ministry.
Island Health data identified the locations of 471 active cases Tuesday, including 106 in the South Island, 212 in the Central Island and 153 in the North Island.
Meanwhile, 54 people are in hospital for treatment of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island, including 15 patients who require critical care, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.
Health officials say no new COVID-19-related deaths have been reported in B.C. over the past 24 hours.
Since the pandemic began, 2,333 people have died of the illness in British Columbia, including 119 deaths reported in the Island Health region.
VACCINATION EFFORTS
As of Tuesday, 84.8 per cent of British Columbians aged five and older have received one doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 81.7 per cent have received two doses.
The province began administering vaccines to children aged five to 11 on Monday.
Between Nov. 22 and 28, people who are not fully vaccinated accounted for 58.2 per cent of new COVID-19 cases, despite making up less than 10 per cent of the province's population, according to the Health Ministry.
From Nov. 15 to 28, this same group made up 65.9 per cent of hospitalizations related to COVID-19.
OMICRON VARIANT
Earlier Tuesday, health officials announced that the province's first case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant had been confirmed.
The variant was identified in someone who lives in the Fraser Health region who had recently travelled to Nigeria.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says the person is isolating and that there is no indication of widespread transmission of the variant in B.C.
With files from CTV News Vancouver
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.