The BC Coroners Service says the number of overdose deaths in each health authority is at or near the highest monthly total ever recorded. Chief coroner Lisa Lapoint says there were 162 overdose deaths in BC last month, more than double the 75 recorded in October last year. Lapoint says the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the supply of street drugs and is urging doctors and nurses to prescribe safer pharmaceutical alternatives. But advocates for drug users say medical personnel still are not prescribing those alternatives to the extent they should be.

Five people have died and 55 patients have tested positive at Burnaby Hospital in an outbreak of COVID-19 that health officials believe was compounded by a recent fire at the facility. Fraser Health chief medical health officer Dr. Elizabeth Brodkin says 40 staff members are also infected, although the health authority is still trying to track the source of all those illnesses. The outbreak began at the hospital on November 9th, but as smoke billowed through hallways during the November 15th fire, patients were quickly moved to common areas and infection control measures could not be stringen

A hotel worker in Nelson, B.C., suffered a heart attack shortly after a confrontation with a patron who refused to wear a mask and wouldn't leave the hotel's coffee shop. Rob Little, manager of The Adventure Hotel, says it happened last Friday when their accountant was called to help deal with a man who was shouting and ignoring new provincial rules to wear a mask to slow the spread of COVID-19. Little says when the woman intervened, the man spat on her and walked away. Police were called and Little says about 90 minutes later, the accountant, who's in her 50s, collapsed from a heart attack t

If your phone vibrates or makes an unusual sound at 1:55 this afternoon (2:55 p.m. Mountain time) you'll know you are ready to receive important safety alerts. Emergency Management BC is testing its Alert Ready system this afternoon to ensure it is able to send safety alerts through television, radio and 4G capable wireless devices such as phones. The system is only used during major disasters or emergencies and the tone indicates vital information is about to follow, although during today's test you'll only hear the tone or feel your phone vibrate, a message won't be attached. In a real emer

Police in Victoria say they've handed out two tickets for people failing to follow COVID-19 safety protocols in a restaurant and attempting to leave without paying. Police say they were called to a restaurant just after 7:30 pm Monday night for reports that a group had left without paying. After locating the group, police escorted them back to pay where they discovered that one man had been abusive towards staff and refused to follow COVID-19 safety protocols. The man was located later that night and issued two tickets for 230 dollars apiece.

BC's solicitor general announced new fines for those who refuse to follow provincial orders on wearing masks in public spaces. Those who refuse to wear masks are subject to a 230 dollar fine. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth says in a release that masks are required for a range of public spaces, but those unable to put on or remove a mask without assistance are exempt. The province also extended its state of emergency until December 8th.

British Columbia health officials are reporting a dramatic spike in COVID-19 cases, while they order a pause indoor physical activities. B.C. recorded 941 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and 10 deaths. There are 7,732 active COVID-19 cases in B.C., and 284 people are in hospital. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say in a joint statement that residents need to support B.C.'s health-care workers by slowing the spread of COVID-19. The latest peak in numbers comes as health officials ordered dance studios, yoga studios and other indoor physical activity s

BC Hydro says its latest report shows people around the province are coping with pandemic restrictions by boosting holiday spirits with brighter, more elaborate lighting displays and decorations. An online survey of 800 people shows more than 90 per cent think COVID-19 will affect their holiday celebrations but about 20 per cent plan to do more indoor and outdoor decorating to combat the disappointment. Almost two-thirds say they will put up an outdoor display with 22 per cent expecting to use an average of eight strands of lights and 10 per cent firing up more than 10 strands, a three per ce

A University of BC researcher is being hailed for an innovation that uses salt to destroy COVID-19 droplets on reusable masks. Recent PhD graduate Ilaria Rubino used a salt and water solution on the first or middle layer of a mask and found as droplets were exhaled through the mask, spiky salt crystals would develop and damage the bacteria or virus within minutes. Rubino receives an innovation award today from Mitacs, a not-for-profit organization honouring academic researchers, and joins Simon Fraser University Chemistry PhD student Audrey Taylor at the virtual ceremony. Taylor is being reco