New COVID-19 restrictions ranging from audience capacities on large venues to the number of people able to attend indoor gatherings are in effect today.The health measures are scheduled to last until Jan. 31.Health officials say the restrictions, which also include the cancellation of all New Year's Eve parties, are being implemented over fears of the Omicron variant overwhelming B.C. hospitals.Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said the Omicron variant is adding new and more complex challenges to managing the pandemic.B.C. reported 302 cases of the Omicron variant on Friday, up fr

B.C. is reporting 789 new cases of COVID-19, including four epi-linked cases, for a total of 225,785 cases in the province.There are 4,313 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 218,960 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 191 individuals are in hospital and 74 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.In the past 24 hours, three new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,399.The new deaths include:Fraser Health: oneVancouver Coastal Health: oneNorthern Health: oneThere have been 302 cases of the Omicron

BC's minister of agriculture says the government is providing up to one-million dollars in funding for commercial livestock producers affected by recent floods to buy emergency food supplies for their animals. Lana Popham says the government is working in collaboration with the BC Cattlemen's Association and the B-C Forage Council to deliver the program and help farmers resume operations. Producers that are eligible for the program are being asked to contact the program partners to complete an application for funding. The ministry has previously reported that 630 thousand chickens, 420 cattle

BC's coast experienced an small earthquake early this morning. Earthquakes Canada says the magnitude 3.5 quake happened at 4:13 A-M in the Strait of Georgia, 43 kilometres southwest of Vancouver. It says no reports of damage have been made, and none are expected. The U.S. Geological Survey says it happened at a depth of 17.3 kilometres.

Environment Canada has expanded its weather warnings for much of south and central B-C as strong winds and heavy snowstorms are expected to start today and continue into the weekend. It says areas of the central and north coasts could get up to 40 centimetres of snow, while Squamish, Whistler and the Sea-to-Sky corridor are expecting between 25 and 35 centimetres. Winter storm and snowfall warnings have also been issued for areas including East Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and the Fraser Canyon, and heavy snow is expected in the southern Interior, Cariboo and the Kootenays this weeken

British Columbia is placing restrictions on events and gatherings until the end of January in an effort to limit the fast-spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant.Measures range from limits on venues that hold more than 1,000 people to 50 per cent capacity to no amateur sports tournaments over the Christmas period and the cancellation of all New Year's Eve parties.The Health Ministry says indoor gatherings, including those at rental or holiday properties, are also being limited to one household, plus 10 guests, and everyone must be vaccinated. The B.C. Vaccine card program must be used at all events

Ontario is reintroducing capacity limits at restaurants, bars and retailers, and capping indoor social gatherings at 10 people in an effort to slow the spread of the Omicron variant. The province is also limiting outdoor gatherings to 25, and prohibiting food and drink consumption at sports arenas, cinemas and other large venues. The new rules come into effect first thing Sunday morning, and don't apply to facilities hosting weddings, funerals or religious services. Premier Doug Ford is making the announcement a day after the province's science advisers said a ramped-up booster campaign would

Canada's chief public health officer says all confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Canada are mild or asymptomatic. But Dr. Theresa Tam says most of the 300 plus Canadians who have contracted the variant are younger, and even a milder version of COVID-19 version could wreak havoc at a societal level. Tam says both vaccinated and unvaccinated people have tested positive for the Omicron variant. But she stresses that being fully vaccinated and then getting a booster is expected to provide reasonable protection against infection and likely strong protection against severe illness.

An independent school in Surrey was closed to in-person instruction yesterday due to a COVID outbreak. Fraser Health says 23 COVID-19 cases have been identified among staff and students at Khalsa School Old Yale Road. Meanwhile, Vancouver Coastal Health has declared an outbreak at Lions Gate Hospital after five patients tested positive for COVID-19. Visits to the hospital have been suspended, with an exception for essential care or compassionate end-of-life.