British Columbia health officials are urging people to avoid gatherings in celebration of New Year's Eve. The request comes as the province released five days of COVID-19 figures over the holiday season, showing 2,206 new cases for a total of 50,815 infections since the pandemic began. The province also reported 74 deaths from the virus, largely among those living in long-term care or assisted-living facilities. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says people need to follow public health orders forbidding social gatherings ahead of New Year's Eve. Dr. Henry says there were lower COVID-

A 66 year old man has been found dead following a fire at a home in Abbotsford, B.C. Police say in a news release the Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service responded to a 911 call about a fire in a trailer on Monday. When crews arrived to the property they found the trailer engulfed in flames. Once firefighters were able to access the home, police say they found the man's body inside. The fire service, police and the BC Coroners Service are investigating the death. Police say the cause of the fire doesn't appear suspicious.

Avalanche Canada has lifted a recent warning about the extreme potential for slides on eastern British Columbia mountains, but backcountry users are urged to remain cautious because of weak snowpack layers across the province. Areas of avalanche concern include the Purcell range in the southeast, Cariboo Mountains in central B.C., and slopes around the Sea-to-Sky region north of Vancouver. The forecaster reported large, human-triggered avalanches Sunday along sections of the Cariboo Mountains near Valemount, and Monday on Rainbow Mountain, near Whistler. In the Rainbow Mountain event, Avalanc

Three regional health authorities in British Columbia are reporting new COVID-19 outbreaks in assisted-living facilities and long-term care homes. Interior Health says six residents and four staff members have tested positive for the illness at Heritage Square, a private facility in Vernon. The health authority says each of the six residents live in the long-term care areas of the facility and their close contacts are in self-isolation. Fraser Health is reporting two new outbreaks after two staff members tested positive for COVID-19 at Rideau Retirement Residence in Burnaby and another two st

Homicide detectives are investigating a fatal shooting in Surrey, B.C., the second deadly attack in the city in as many days.Sgt. Frank Jang with the joint-police Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the shooting happened Monday evening in the Guildford neighbourhood.The unnamed victim was found dead at the scene but few other details have been released.The shooting took place as Jang was providing more information about a Sunday night shooting in the Whalley area that killed 19-year-old Harman Singh Dhesi.Jang says Dhesi was known to police and his death and the Guildford-area shootin

Four people, two of whom are in critical condition, were taken to hospital after a crash Sunday morning in Coquitlam, B.C. B.C. Emergency Health Services says they received a call for a collision on Highway 1 near Brunette Ave. A spokeswoman says four patients were treated at the scene. Two were taken to hospital in critical condition, while the other two were taken in stable condition. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says the incident has the on and off ramps, as well as the overpass, closed at the Brunette exit. The affected ramps and overpass were closed for several hours

A pedestrian has died after being struck by a vehicle on Boxing Day in Richmond, B.C. Mounties say they were called at about 5:30 p.m. on Saturday after a woman was struck while crossing an intersection at a cross walk. The victim was taken to hospital, where she died from her injuries. RCMP say the driver is cooperation, and alcohol and speed have been ruled out as factors contributing to the crash. Const. Kenneth Lau says in a statement that road conditions are not ideal at this time of year, and asks drivers to slow down and look out for pedestrians. The RCMP's Criminal Collision Investiga

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