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
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.