The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times eastern):
5:20 p.m.
Fifty per cent of all eligible British Columbians aged 12 and over are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Health Ministry says 80.6 per cent of residents who are eligible for a vaccine have received their first dose.
It’s reporting 45 new cases of the virus, and says there are currently 652 active cases around the province.
Of the active cases, 60 people are in hospital, and 12 of them are in intensive care.
—
4:45 p.m.
Saskatchewan is reporting 20 new cases of COVID-19 and two more deaths.
The province says 53 people are in hospital due to the virus, including nine in intensive care.
There are also 380 active cases.
The province says one person who died was in their 60s from the northwest health zone, and the other was in their 70s and in the far north eastern zone.
—
1:45 p.m.
Manitoba is reporting 39 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths.
Two earlier cases have been removed due to data correction for a net increase of 37.
The five-day test positivity rate has fallen below three per cent for the first time in months.
It stands at 2.9 per cent provincially and 2.7 per cent in Winnipeg.
—
12:15 p.m.
New Brunswick is reporting two new cases of COVID-19 today.
Health officials say the new cases are in the Moncton area and considered travel related.
The province has eight active reported cases of COVID-19 and no one in hospital with the disease.
About 56.9 per cent of New Brunswickers aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated and 80.3 per cent have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
—
11 a.m.
Quebec is reporting 83 new COVID-19 cases today and three more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus.
Health authorities say hospitalizations rose by three, to 84, and 25 people were in intensive care, a rise of two.
The province says 99,852 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered Thursday.
Health Minister Christian Dubé, Finance Minister Eric Girard and the Daniel Paré, head of the province’s vaccination campaign are holding a COVID-19 briefing later today at the Montreal headquarters of the province’s lottery commission.
—
10:30 a.m.
Ontario reports there are 159 new cases of COVID-19 in the province and 10 more deaths linked to the virus.
Health Minister Christine Elliott says there are 34 new cases in Grey Bruce Region, 25 in the Region of Waterloo, 23 in Toronto and 12 in Peel Region.
The Ministry of Health says 158 people are in intensive care due to the novel coronavirus with 112 people on a ventilator.
Ontario says more than 168,500 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine were administered since Thursday’s report, for a total of more than 17.8 million doses in the province.
—
10:25 a.m.
Manitoba is starting to offer COVID-19 vaccine doses at provincial campgrounds and beaches.
Temporary pop-up clinics will be run on a rotating basis, beginning today in Duck Mountain Provincial Park and Asessippi Provincial Park.
The shots are available on a walk-in basis to anyone aged 12 and over who is not yet fully immunized.
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2021.
The Canadian Press