COVID-19 hospitalizations still rising on Vancouver Island, no new deaths added
The number of people requiring hospital care for COVID-19 on Vancouver Island rose over the past 24 hours, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
There are currently 112 people in hospital for treatment of the illness in Island Health, up from 101 reported Thursday and 65 confirmed last week on Jan. 21.
The number of patients receiving intensive care remains unchanged, however, with 11 reported on Friday, the same total confirmed on Thursday and Jan. 21.
Around this time last month, on Dec. 29, 38 people were in hospital for treatment of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island, including 12 patients who required critical care.
Nine deaths related to COVID-19 were reported in B.C. Friday, none of which occurred in the island region.
Since the pandemic began, 2,597 people have died of COVID-19 in the province including 168 in Island Health.
NEW CASES
According to the BCCDC, 332 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Island Health Friday.
The new cases were among 1,634 new cases confirmed across the province over the past 24 hours.
Those totals differ from a statement released by the B.C. Ministry of Health, which reported 2,137 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 264 in the island region.
The Ministry of Health says its totals are provisional "due to a delayed data refresh" and may change once verified.
Health officials say that while confirmed tests are only a fraction of B.C's total number of COVID-19 cases, the totals are an indicator of transmission rates in the province.
As of Friday, there are 30,012 confirmed active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 1,722 active cases in the island region, according to the BCCDC.
VACCINATIONS
Approximately 89.8 per cent of eligible British Columbians aged five and older have now received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 83.8 per cent have received two doses.
Meanwhile, 43.9 per cent of eligible B.C. residents aged 12 and older have received three doses.
2 YEARS WITH COVID
Earlier Friday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix held a live briefing marking the two-year anniversary of B.C.'s first pandemic news conference.
At the briefing, Henry noted that the province had been doing relatively well keeping COVID-19-related hospitalizations and fatalities low, even as case counts rise in B.C.
British Columbia has a lower daily hospitalization census rate per 100,000 people compared to Manitoba, Quebec, Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan, according to health officials.
Jan. 28, 2022 (Province of B.C.)
"No, I did not think we would be in this phase of the (pandemic) journey for this long," said Henry on Friday. "But it is something we need to accept."
However, Henry suggested that some pandemic restrictions may be lifted around Family Day, Feb. 21.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Monkeypox in Canada: Act now to stop it, expert urges, before it's too late
With 26 cases of monkeypox now confirmed in Canada, health officials warn that number will likely grow in the coming days and weeks. However, one expert says the outbreak can be stopped if the country works quickly to get it under control.
Supreme Court rules Quebec City mosque killer to be eligible for parole in 25 years
Canada's highest court has ruled that Alexandre Bissonnette, who murdered six people at the Quebec City mosque in 2017, will be eligible for parole after 25 years.
New federal firearms bill will be introduced on Monday: Lametti
Federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino will table new firearms legislation on Monday, according to his colleague Justice Minister David Lametti. In an interview with CTV's Question Period that will air on Sunday, Lametti pointed to the advance notice given to the House of Commons, and confirmed the plan is to see the new bill unveiled shortly after MPs return to the Commons on May 30.
She smeared blood on herself and played dead: 11-year-old reveals chilling details of the massacre
An 11-year-old survivor of the Robb Elementary School massacre in Uvalde, Texas, feared the gunman would come back for her so she smeared herself in her friend's blood and played dead.
Man fatally shot by police near Toronto elementary school; SIU says BB gun recovered
One man is dead after being shot by police near a Toronto elementary school on Thursday afternoon. The incident sent hundreds of students into lockdown.
Johnny Depp's lawyers ask jury to give actor 'his life back'
Johnny Depp's lawyers asked a jury Friday 'to give Mr. Depp his life back' by finding that his ex-wife, Amber Heard, committed libel.
Ancient volcanoes may have created a rare resource for lunar explorers
Ancient volcanic eruptions on the moon could provide an unexpected resource for future lunar explorers: water.
NRA opens gun convention in Texas after school massacre
The National Rifle Association begins its annual convention in Houston on Friday, and leaders of the powerful gun-rights lobbying group are gearing up to "reflect on" -- and deflect any blame for -- the deadly shooting earlier this week of 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
Canadian gymnast alleges sexual, emotional abuse by coach
Former Canadian gymnast Abby Pearson Spadafora said on Thursday she had suffered years of abuse at the hands of Olympic coach Dave Brubaker and his wife Elizabeth and called for an independent investigation of the sport.
Vancouver
-
Homicide investigation underway after body found in Surrey park
Homicide investigators have been deployed to Surrey after a body was found in Newton.
-
For sale in Vancouver: $14M waterfront house that 'shares a wall' with neighbouring home
Would you pay nearly $14 million to share a wall with your neighbours?
-
2 senior pedestrians with life-threatening injuries after serious collision: Abbotsford police
Two senior pedestrians were taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries Thursday afternoon after a crash in Abbotsford, local police say.
Edmonton
-
Oilers keen to add another championship chapter to storied franchise
The Edmonton Oilers have a rich history. This iteration wants to add another memorable chapter.
-
'Happy birthday, Ben': Oilers, fans send love to ambassador who just turned 6
Thousands of Oilers fans sang fresh six-year-old Ben Stelter "Happy Birthday" from Rogers Place Thursday night.
-
'Always hope': Remains of Cree woman sent home to Alberta decades after disappearance
Violet Soosay's search for her missing aunt began four decades ago.
Toronto
-
27-year-old man carrying air rifle near Toronto elementary school shot dead. What we know so far
There’s an increased police presence around four Toronto schools this morning after a 27-year-old man walking the nearby streets with an air rifle was shot dead by police on Thursday.
-
COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to decline in Ontario as 15 more deaths reported
Hospitalizations related to COVID-19 in Ontario continue to decline as the province reports an additional 15 deaths related to the disease.
-
Police attend Ontario school after threat made on social media
There is a large police presence at a Bowmanville, Ont. high school Friday due to a threat made on social media.
Calgary
-
Coyote attack on dog and owner prompts partial closure of Fish Creek Provincial Park
Alberta Parks has closed a section of Fish Creek Provincial Park in the city's southeast after aggressive coyotes attacked a dog and its owner.
-
New federal firearms bill will be introduced on Monday: Lametti
Federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino will table new firearms legislation on Monday, according to his colleague Justice Minister David Lametti. In an interview with CTV's Question Period that will air on Sunday, Lametti pointed to the advance notice given to the House of Commons, and confirmed the plan is to see the new bill unveiled shortly after MPs return to the Commons on May 30.
-
Calgary Flames exit playoffs amid controversy over disallowed goal
The Calgary Flames didn't go quietly, but they still went with the controversial disallowing of a potential game-winning goal hanging over their exit.
Montreal
-
Supreme Court rules Quebec City mosque killer to be eligible for parole in 25 years
Canada's highest court has ruled that Alexandre Bissonnette, who murdered six people at the Quebec City mosque in 2017, will be eligible for parole after 25 years.
-
In backlash to the backlash, Bill 96 leads to flurry of talk on Quebec separatism
Quebec Premier François Legault may not have expected quite this type of fallout from Bill 96, but he found himself hammered by questions on Thursday -- about Quebec independence.
-
Quebec reports drop in intensive care COVID-19 cases, 10 more deaths
Quebec on Friday posted another drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations and especially in ICU cases, where a decrease of seven means that fewer than 40 people are now in intensive care for the virus.
Atlantic
-
NEW
NEW | Who was driving this car near the scene of a double-homicide in 2019? N.B. RCMP want to know
The RCMP is trying to determine who was driving a car near the scene of a double-homicide in Dieppe, N.B., in September 2019.
-
Senior Mountie was surprised it took hours to learn of witnesses in N.S. mass shooting
A retired senior Mountie has described to an inquiry his dismay that it took five hours before anyone told him about eyewitnesses who had encountered a mass killer while fleeing the 2020 shootings in Nova Scotia.
-
'We just want to stay': N.S. family struggling to find affordable home may be forced to leave the province
A Nova Scotia family may be forced to leave the province due to the lack of affordable housing units on the market today.
Winnipeg
-
Manitoba RCMP looking for missing man after vehicle found abandoned on closed highway
Officers with the Manitoba RCMP are searching for a missing man after a vehicle was found abandoned near Morris.
-
Brokenhearted husband dies after wife slain in Texas rampage
Fourth-grade teacher Irma Garcia was killed in her Texas classroom on Tuesday, massacred along with her co-teacher and 19 students. Two days later, a family member says her brokenhearted husband died.
-
Winnipeg students give send off for custodian retiring after 20 years
While his job was to keep the school's hallways clean, his impact went far beyond that – touching the lives of the students who walked within them.
Kitchener
-
Guelph high school volleyball referee facing multiple sex assault charges
A man, who was a referee at high school volleyball games in Guelph for more than 30 years, is facing sex assault-related charges.
-
J. Cole makes Canadian basketball debut in game against Guelph
Basketball and hip hop collided in the Royal City Thursday night.
-
Regional police searching for missing 11-year-old girl
Waterloo regional police are asking for the public’s help to find a missing 11-year-old girl.
Regina
-
Sask. family's eviction from home cancelled after accounting error discovered with rent
A Regina family facing homelessness will not be evicted from their government-owned rental unit after it was discovered they owed more than $1,000 in back rent.
-
Sask. mothers continue to feel impact of baby formula shortage
A baby formula shortage caused by a recall of products manufactured at a facility in the United States has created a ripple effect into Saskatchewan, with many mothers feeling the strain trying to feed their babies.
-
Bald eagle sightings in Regina not as rare as some might think
It’s not going to be every day a person spots a bald eagle flying over their head or sitting in a tree while going for a walk around Regina’s Wascana Lake, but according to a University of Regina Professor of Biology, it’s more common than many might think.
Barrie
-
OPP search for missing senior and his dog
Provincial police will be conducting a ground and aerial search in Springwater Township for a missing senior and his dog Friday morning.
-
Barrie Waterfront Festival returns with live music and delicious eats
A popular festival is returning to the Barrie waterfront this weekend.
-
Wasaga Beach residents call for transparency over beachfront development plans
Wasaga Beach residents want their voices heard as they seek transparency from the town over plans to sell portions of beachfront property.
Saskatoon
-
'We will have to deal with the issues': Saskatoon condo residents at odds with city over public washroom plan
Outcry over the planned location of public washrooms caused Tuesday's city council meeting to stretch late into the evening.
-
10-year-old Sask. girl helps save grandmother's life
A Saskatchewan woman’s granddaughter is being recognized for helping save her life and minimizing the effects of stroke after she called 911.
-
PGA Tour Canada hopes for 'huge crowds' at Waskesiu event
PGA Tour Canada is getting back into the swing of things this weekend after more than 990 days since the last shot, and the third stop on the tour is in Waskesiu at Elk Ridge Resort.
Northern Ontario
-
Sault police dealing with shooting on Bruce Street
Police in Sault Ste. Marie are dealing with a shooting incident at a residence on Bruce Street, police said Friday.
-
27-year-old man carrying air rifle near Toronto elementary school shot dead. What we know so far
There’s an increased police presence around four Toronto schools this morning after a 27-year-old man walking the nearby streets with an air rifle was shot dead by police on Thursday.
-
Man fatally shot by police near Toronto elementary school; SIU says BB gun recovered
One man is dead after being shot by police near a Toronto elementary school on Thursday afternoon. The incident sent hundreds of students into lockdown.