B.C. announces 497 new cases of COVID-19 and 3 COVID19 related deaths in the last 24 hours for Friday.
The latest cases bring the province to 214,636 confirmed infections since the pandemic began, and 2,293 confirmed deaths.
There are currently 3,420 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C.
That total includes 358 infectious patients in hospital, 109 of them in intensive care units.
More to Come.
The Liberal government announced earlier this month that core public servants must be vaccinated against the virus or face suspension without pay as early as Nov. 15.
Scientists are monitoring the delta-related variant — known as AY.4.2. — to see if it might spread more easily or be more deadly than previous versions of the coronavirus. In a recent report, U.K. officials said this variant makes up 6% of all analyzed COVID-19 cases in the country and is “on an increasing trajectory.”
The shots could begin in early November, with the first children in line fully protected by Christmas, if regulators give the go-ahead. That would represent a major expansion of the nation's vaccine drive, encompassing roughly 28 million elementary school-age youngsters.
Two senior party members who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter say members of the federal council and the Green Party of Canada Fund met over the past week to call off their court action.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization says there have been cases of severe anaphylactic reactions to mRNA vaccines documented in Canada after their first dose.
Kevin Kriese of the Forest Practices Board said the amendments are overdue and "only a start," given the complexity of implementing new forestry policies on the ground. He's keen to see a timeline, a fast pace and details on how and when the changes will take effect, he said in an interview Thursday.