COVID-19 surge continues with 14 new cases on Vancouver Island
Health officials identified 14 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region Thursday, the highest daily total in over two months.
The new cases are among 204 cases found across British Columbia over the past 24 hours.
The 14 new cases in the island region represents the largest single-day case total for the region since May 26, when 14 cases were recorded, according to data from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
There are currently 1,005 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 51 active cases in the island region, according to a statement Thursday from the health ministry.
The ministry said in its statement, however, that the numbers are provisional due to a delay in data reporting and are therefore subject to change.
A discrepancy in the daily COVID-19 numbers was apparent in the BCCDC's count, which recorded 15 new cases in the Vancouver Island region Thursday, and 202 new cases in B.C.
There is currently one person in hospital with COVID-19 in the island region and no one in critical care, according to the BCCDC.
Island Health officials identified the locations of 48 active cases in the island region Thursday, including 29 in the South Island, 17 in the Central Island and two in the North Island.
There were no deaths from the disease reported in B.C. on Thursday, leaving the province's pandemic death toll at 1,771.
Since the pandemic began, 41 people have died of COVID-19 in the Island Health region.
"We are seeing an increase in cases – not unexpected in most places," said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry during an unrelated news conference Thursday.
"As we mentioned yesterday, we have had a rapid increase in one area of the province and there are additional measures that are in place in that area to try and prevent transmission," Henry added.
The provincial health officer also advised out-of-province travellers to only visit B.C. once they have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
"We're happy to have you come, fully vaccinated," Henry said.
As of Thursday, 81 per cent of British Columbians aged 12 and older have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 64.1 per cent have received two doses.
B.C. health-care workers have administered 6,732,309 doses of COVID-19 vaccine since the vaccines became available in December.
Background
CTV News Vancouver Island reports the daily COVID-19 case counts as reported by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix, which are based on BCCDC data. There may be a discrepancy between the daily case counts reported by the BCCDC and Island Health.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.