Island Health confirms 1 new COVID-19 death in final update of the week
B.C. health officials have confirmed one new COVID-19 death in the Vancouver Island region Friday.
Across the province, nine COVID-19-related deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, including the one in Island Health.
Since the pandemic began, 2,529 people have died of COVID-19 in B.C., including 162 in the island region.
HOSPITALIZATIONS
According to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, 65 people are in hospital for treatment of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island.
Friday's total is up from the 56 patients in hospital Thursday, and an increase from the 37 reported one week ago on Jan. 14.
As of Friday, 11 patients are receiving critical care in Island Health, up from seven reported Thursday and nine confirmed on Jan. 14.
Roughly one month ago, on Dec. 21, 40 people were in hospital for treatment of COVID-19 in Island Health, including 15 patients who required critical care.
NEW CASES
Health officials have confirmed 2,364 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 334 cases in the Vancouver Island region Friday.
Although confirmed cases are only a fraction of the total number of cases in B.C., health officials say the test results are still an indicator of transmission rates in the province.
"Yes, we have our highest test positivity rates ever, and it's in the 20 to 30 per cent positive range, but that means 70 per cent of people who are testing don't have COVID-19," said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry at a live update Friday morning.
There are currently 33,997 confirmed active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including 2,024 active cases in the island region, according to the Health Ministry.
At the briefing, Henry added that contact tracing was no longer an effective tool for managing the pandemic, since the Omicron variant is highly transmissible.
"We now need to shift our management and think about the things we can do across the board to prevent transmission and prevent ourselves from being exposed," she said.
VACCINATIONS
As of Friday, approximately 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, roughly 37.8 per cent of eligible British Columbians aged 12 and older have received a third dose of vaccine.
Earlier Friday, Island Health declared three new COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care homes on Vancouver Island.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Security Council plans to vote on UN membership for Palestine
The UN Security Council is set to vote Thursday on a resolution that would allow the state of Palestine to join the United Nations as a full member, a step the United States opposes and will veto if necessary.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
B.C.'s short-term rental regulations include $10K daily penalties for Airbnb, other platforms
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.