Vancouver Island adds 12 new COVID-19 cases as B.C. confirms reopening plans
Health officials say 12 cases of COVID-19 were identified in the Vancouver Island region over the weekend.
The update comes the same day that health officials and B.C.'s premier announced that the province would be moving on to Step 2 of its reopening plan on Tuesday.
Across B.C., 277 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed over the weekend. Of those cases, 96 were reported Saturday, 113 were added Sunday and 68 were confirmed on Monday.
Monday marked the lowest single-day case count since Aug. 31, when 59 cases of COVID-19 were reported across the province.
B.C. has now reported 146,453 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, including 5,132 found in the Island Health region.
There are currently 84 active cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region, according to the BCCDC. Two people are currently in hospital for treatment of the virus, but neither require critical care.
Island Health identified the locations of 55 of the active cases Monday, including 41 in the South Island, seven in the Central Island and seven in the North Island.
Health officials say four people died of the virus over the weekend, bringing the province's death toll to 1,734. None of the victims lived in the Vancouver Island region, where 41 people have died since the pandemic began.
"Our condolences are with the family, friends and caregivers of the people who have died as a result of COVID-19," said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix in a joint statement.
Approximately 75.9 per cent of adults in B.C. have now received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, or 74.1 per cent of people aged 12 and older.
B.C. has now administered 4,048,346 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, including 613,453 second doses.
STEP 2 OF RESTART PLAN TO BEGIN ON JUNE 15
On Monday morning, B.C.'s top doctor joined B.C. Premier John Horgan and other ministers for an update on the province's reopening plans.
The province confirmed that Step 2 of B.C.'s reopening plan will start on Tuesday, June 15.
Step 2 includes outdoor gatherings up to 50 people, unrestricted travel within province, the restart of indoor high-intensity fitness programs and expanded hours for some businesses like bars.
Organized indoor gatherings, such as movie theatres and banquet halls, can also reopen – and indoor worship services can restart in limited capacities.
"We can increase our much-needed connections a little bit more," said Henry at a live briefing on Monday.
The province's top doctor said other health restrictions remain in place, and stressed that not everyone will be comfortable with reopening along the same timeline.
Health officials continue to urge everyone to register for a COVID-19 vaccine and to continue following health guidelines such as physical distancing, staying home if feeling unwell, and keeping social contacts consistent.
"As we bridge to Step 2, the provincial health officer’s orders have been amended to allow for some increases in gatherings in our homes, restaurants and businesses," said Henry and Dix in a joint statement. "However, it is very important to remember that orders and restrictions remain in place."
"Safety plans and masks are still required in all indoor public spaces, as is the need to give others space, to stay home when we are ill and get tested if we develop symptoms," said the pair.
June 14, 2021: (Province of B.C.)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
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.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pro-Palestinian protesters demand endowment transparency. But it's proving not to be simple
Over the last decade, students have pushed universities to cut financial ties with fossil fuel producers, weapons manufacturers, tobacco companies and prison firms. Here's why it's not always that simple.