British Columbia health officials are reporting the province's first knowncase of the U.K. COVID-19 variant. The affected individual returned from the U.K. on Dec. 15 to their home in the Island Health authority. The person tested positive four days later after developing symptoms during their quarantine. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry say in a joint statement that the variant strain was detected through testing by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. They say it's important to note that although the U.K. variant can spread faster, there's no ind

The Correctional Service of Canada says three inmates at Fraser Valley Institution recently tested positive for COVID-19, though it does not say when they were tested or whether their infections remain active. The service says in a news release an initial investigation shows the three inmates were part of a small group transferred from another region. It says the group has been in medical isolation and closely monitored by staff since arriving at the women's prison, which has multiple security levels. It's believed transmission of the illness occurred before they arrived. The correctional ser

The family of a man who was killed at a home in Kelowna, B.C., is appealing for anyone with information to speak with police investigating the 2009 homicide. Paulina Pekova says the holiday season is particularly difficult without her brother Joseph Pek, who was 38. She says Pek was a talented musician and athlete as well as a kind and gentle uncle to his two nephews. The family is offering a $5,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for his stabbing death outside a Kelowna home. Peklova says Pek had a history with drugs and crime following multiple traumas

British Columbia's top doctor says COVID-19 cases in the province are levelling off after peaking in mid-November, though she warns now is not the time to relax public health rules. Dr. Bonnie Henry says the majority of cases are being traced to known infections and outbreaks, but keeping up with contact tracing is still a challenge, particularly in the hard-hit Fraser Health region. When presenting the latest modelling data, Henry showed the reproductive number for the illness has dipped slightly below one, meaning on average, someone who's infected may not transmit COVID-19 to anyone. She s

Two officers are nursing various injuries after the Vancouver Police Department says they were attacked while trying to help a father deal with his mentally ill son. A statement from Sgt. Steve Addison says the officers were patrolling in downtown Vancouver Tuesday night when they were called to help the father, who told them he had just been assaulted by his 31 year old son. The father said his son had stopped taking his medication and he led the constables to the man. Addison says shortly after the officers realized the younger man needed medical attention, he attacked, repeatedly kicking t

Eleven partying teenagers in Nanaimo are the latest to be fined 230 dollars each. Tickets were issued for ignoring public health rules aimed at fighting COVID-19. RCMP say officers saw a large group of youth late Saturday in the parking lot of the Dover Bay High School and asked them to break up the event. When police went back a while later, there were even more vehicles and people in the parking lot who weren't social distancing or wearing masks. Police say the youth were respectful, apologetic and understanding of why they were getting tickets.

COVID-19 vaccine clinics are now underway in every health region in BC and more than 4,100 people have received the shot so far. BC health officials say Pfizer has explained how to safely transport its vaccine, while Moderna has also done the same. Health officials say that means the vaccine will be available at more locations across the province in the coming weeks. They urged people to continue following public health rules while reporting 12 more deaths and 444 new cases of COVID-19. 777 lives have been lost related to COVID-19 in British Columbia since the beginning of the pandemic.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, have issued a joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia. "Today, we are reporting 444 new cases of COVID-19, including five epi-linked cases, for a total of 47,510 cases in British Columbia. "There are 9,481 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. There are 357 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 84 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. "A total of 36,094 people who tested posit

Police say they are investigating the sudden death of a child. Incident took place in Tofino, B.C. The Integrated Major Crime Unit says the Mounties were called to help BC Ambulance workers on Dec. 13 after it was reported a child had suffered injuries on the Ty-Histanis Reserve. Police say the child died on Dec. 16. A news release from the RCMP says the BC Coroners Service is also conducting a fact-finding investigation into the unexpected death.