17.16°C Vancouver

Dec 11, 2020 2:41 AM -

B.C. records highest death toll in a single "tragic" day; Dr. Henry says vaccination brings hope but finish line is far

Share On
b-c-records-highest-death-toll-in-a-single-tragic-day-dr-henry-says-vaccination-brings-hope-but-finish-line-is-far
(File) -  British Columbia's Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry giving her views during a press conference. - The Canadian Press

British Columbia's provincial health officer is urging people to be patient and keep taking precautions to prevent transmission of COVID-19 as the province recorded its highest death toll in a single "tragic" day.

Dr. Bonnie Henry says all but two of the 28 fatalities occurred in long-term care homes, and 587 people have now died in B.C. since the start of the pandemic.

She says 723 new infections have been diagnosed as the province surpasses 40,000 cases of the virus.

The number of people in hospital continues to rise at 346, while 83 of them are in intensive care.

Dr. Henry says the start of an immunization program next week with 4,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine brings hope, but the "storm" of the pandemic has yet to pass as a large number of infections and deaths continue.

She says wearing masks will be part of the past in the coming months as travel and hugs return, but it's important to shun gatherings during upcoming religious observances such as Hanukkah, which starts at midnight.

Latest news

anand-set-to-host-fellow-g7-foreign-ministers-in-november-near-niagara-falls
CanadaOct 03, 2025

Anand set to host fellow G7 foreign ministers in November near Niagara Falls

G7 foreign ministers are set to gather near Niagara Falls next month for two days of meetings. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand will host her colleagues from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K., the U.S. and the European Union. Global Affairs Canada says the meeting will take place "in the Niagara Region" of Ontario on Nov. 11 — Remembrance Day — and Nov. 12. The themes of the meetings will include security and economic resilience, building on a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in Quebec in March and the G7 leaders' summit in Alberta in June. At the Quebec ministerial meeting, Canad
police-first-responders-scramble-to-help-woman-give-birth-on-victoria-waterfront
BCOct 03, 2025

Police, first responders scramble to help woman give birth on Victoria waterfront

Emergency responders in Victoria, B.C., had to rush into action to support a woman giving birth on Wharf Street, along the city's busy waterfront area. Victoria police say an officer and St. John Ambulance members were working at a local event on Sept. 20 when a passerby notified them of a woman in labour. Police say the officer and other responders found the woman who was in active labour and helped support her along with other members of the public. The newborn was delivered before paramedics could arrive. Police say the baby appeared healthy while being cared for by emergency responders, al
b-c-public-workers-expand-pickets-again-to-more-liquor-cannabis-retail-stores
BCOct 03, 2025

B.C. public workers expand pickets again to more liquor, cannabis retail stores

Striking public service workers in British Columbia have expanded pickets at provincial liquor and cannabis stores again, adding 20 more locations to the list. The B.C. General Employees’ Union says the escalation also includes job action by front-line staff at several ministry offices. It says more than 17,000 public service workers are now taking job action across the province, which is half the 34,000 workers represented by the union. Union president Paul Finch says in a statement that every day the government delays, pressure on public services will grow, and it will continue to step up
kapil-sharmas-kaps-cafe-reopens-in-canada
BCOct 03, 2025

Kap's Cafe reopens again after second shooting incident

Kap's Cafe, which was the target of two shootings in Surrey, has reopened again. The cafe was closed for about 10 days after the first shooting on July 10. Kapil Sharma had initially shared a post about the cafe's reopening, but within weeks of reopening in July, the cafe was again the target of a shooting in early August. The cafe reopened again on October 1, the Connect FM team reached the cafe on Thursday (Oct. 2nd) and tried to get comments from the cafe manager. The manager denied any comment on camera and said that the management had refused to provide any official information. At aroun
schools-set-to-close-as-alberta-provides-online-curriculum-ahead-of-teachers-strike
AlbertaOct 03, 2025

Schools set to close as Alberta provides online curriculum ahead of teachers strike

Schools across Alberta are preparing to close their doors while the province readies a home curriculum for students ahead of Monday's provincewide teachers strike. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides says the province has already put online a curriculum that parents can use to teach their children should the 51,000 members of the Alberta Teachers' Association make good on their promise to walk out. Nicolaides says it's not fair that students would be forced to bear the brunt of the walkout, which would affect more than 700,000 students across public, separate and francophone sch

Related News