'Summer of hope': Vancouver Island adds 3 COVID-19 cases
B.C. health officials identified three new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region Tuesday.
The cases were among 56 new cases confirmed across the province over the past 24 hours.
B.C. has now reported 147,187 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, including 5,153 cases found in the island region.
There are currently 44 active cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control. Of those cases, four people are in hospital for treatment, and one more is receiving critical care.
Island Health identified the locations of 28 of the active cases Tuesday, including 15 in the South Island, 12 in the Central Island and one in the North Island.
Health officials say no COVID-19-related deaths occurred Tuesday. Since the pandemic began, 1,743 people have died of the disease in B.C. including 41 people from the island region.
Approximately 77.7 per cent of adults in B.C. have now received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 76.2 per cent of youth aged 12 and older have received their first shot.
B.C.'s top doctor says the province's vaccine rollout is holding steady. In total, B.C. has administered 4,511,923 vaccine doses, including 1,001,192 second doses.
"Now, more than a million people are fully immunized," said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on Tuesday.
Henry said B.C.'s reopening plan is "progressing well," but adds that getting vaccinated is crucial to the province's reopening.
"When we're immunized, we protect each other and we protect ourselves. That's how we can travel and have a better summer for all of us," she said, adding that the next few months could be a "summer of hope and summer of healing."
Henry added that fluctuations in vaccine supply means that the province will have more Moderna than Pfizer vaccine doses for the next several weeks.
She reiterated that it was safe to mix and match vaccine doses, and that British Columbians should "be assured it is safe and effective to have either dose here in Canada."
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 from the daily case counts reported by the BCCDC and Island Health.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'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.
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.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Canada Post’s newest stamp features special cookies for Islamic holiday
Canada Post’s newest specialty stamps feature “melt-in-your-mouth” desserts to mark two Islamic festivals, the crown corporation announced Thursday.
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.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6 per cent in January as Quebec strikes end
Canada's real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December, Statistics Canada said Thursday.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.