Island Health reports 4 more COVID-19 deaths, 354 new cases
B.C. health officials say four more deaths related to COVID-19 were confirmed in Island Health over the past 24 hours.
Across the province, 15 deaths related to the illness were reported in B.C., including the ones in Island Health.
Since the pandemic began, 2,520 people have died of COVID-19 in B.C., including 161 in Island Health.
HOSPITALIZATIONS
Fifty-six patients are currently in hospital for treatment of COVID-19 in Island Health, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
That total is down slightly from Wednesday, when 60 patients were in hospital, and down from a week ago, when 65 people were hospitalized on Jan. 13.
As of Thursday, seven patients are receiving critical care in Island Health. That total is unchanged from Wednesday, but down from the nine confirmed on Jan. 13.
This time last month, 37 people were in hospital for COVID-19 on Vancouver Island, including 14 patients who required critical care.
NEW CASES
Another 354 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Vancouver Island region Thursday, according to the B.C. Ministry of Health.
The new cases were among 2,150 confirmed across the province over the past 24 hours.
While confirmed cases are only a portion of the total number of cases in B.C., health officials say the test results are still an indicator of transmission in the province.
As of Thursday, there are 34,835 confirmed active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 2,104 active cases in the island region.
VACCINATIONS
Roughly 89.4 per cent of eligible British Columbians aged five and older have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 83.5 per cent have received two doses.
Meanwhile, approximately 36.7 per cent of eligible British Columbians aged 18 and older have received a third dose of vaccine.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.