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
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
DEVELOPING Live updates from the Trump hush money trial: Stormy Daniels, bookkeeper testify
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Boeing 737 catches fire and skids off the runway at a Senegal airport, injuring 10 people
A Boeing 737-300 plane carrying 85 people skidded off a runway at the airport in Dakar, Senegal's capital, injuring 10 people, according to the transport minister, an airline safety group and footage from a passenger that showed the aircraft on fire.
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
Man accused of killing two children at Quebec daycare to stand trial in April 2025
The man accused of murdering two children and injuring six others after a city bus crashed into a Montreal-area daycare is scheduled to stand trial over five weeks beginning in April 2025.