Vancouver Island adds 82 new COVID-19 cases, active cases reach record high
The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) identified 82 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region Wednesday.
The cases are among 813 new cases found across the province over the past 24 hours, according to the BCCDC.
There are now 6,185 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including a record-breaking 704 active cases in the Island Health region, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.
The previous record was set on Sept. 17, when there were 700 active cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Island region.
Island Health data identified the locations of 558 active cases Wednesday, including 296 in the South Island, 220 in the Central Island and 42 in the North Island.
There are currently 31 people in hospital for treatment of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island, 17 of whom require critical care.
Health officials say 11 more people have died of COVID-19 in B.C., including three deaths reported in the Island Health region.
Two other deaths were reported in the Fraser Health region, five were recorded in Vancouver Coastal Health and one was identified in the Northern Health region.
Since the pandemic began, 1,953 people have died of COVID-19 in B.C., including 68 deaths reported in the Island Health region.
LATEST VACCINATION RATES
As of Thursday, approximately 87.9 per cent of British Columbians aged 12 and older have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 80.8 per cent of eligible people have received two doses.
Since the pandemic began, the province has administered 7,831,229 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the B.C. Ministry of Health, the majority of recent COVID-19 cases have been identified in people who are not fully vaccinated.
Between Sept. 21 and Sept. 27, people who are not vaccinated made up 64.9 per cent of confirmed COVID-19 cases, while partially vaccinated people made up seven per cent. The remaining cases, 28 per cent, were confirmed in people who are fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, most people who required hospitalization due to COVID-19 in recent weeks were not vaccinated, according to the Health Ministry.
Between Sept. 14 and Sept. 27, unvaccinated people accounted for 72.6 per cent of hospitalizations, partially vaccinated people made up 8. 2 per cent and fully vaccinated people made up 19.2 per cent.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.