Health

'If not now, then when?' COVID-19 spurs some Canadians to make big changes

TORONTO - The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives of Canadians across the country, causing many to lose their jobs or businesses, or to adapt to a new life spent mostly at home. Some are leaning i...

Dec 29, 2020

COVID stress dominates as crisis line operators wrap busy year

NANAIMO - Increasingly relied upon crisis line staff serving Vancouver Island are seeing first-hand effects COVID-19 is having on the people they serve.Nanaimo based Vancouver Island Crisis Society (V...

Dec 29, 2020

One additional COVID-19 case confirmed in long-term care home outbreak

NANAIMO - Island Health has confirmed COVID-19 spread within one unit of a long-term care home in Nanaimo.A release just before 5:30 on Monday, Dec. 28 said an additional case of COVID-19 was found at...

Dec 28, 2020

Canada surpasses 15,000 deaths related to COVID-19 with 37 new deaths in Quebec

Canada has surpassed 15,000 deaths related to COVID-19.The grim milestone was reached with the reporting of 37 new deaths in Quebec.A total of 15,001 Canadians have now died from COVID-19 since the pa...

Dec 28, 2020

COVID-19 outbreak declared in Nanaimo long-term care home

NANAIMO - A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at a Nanaimo long-term care home for the first time. Island Health announced late on Sunday, Dec. 27 one resident at the Chartwell Malaspina Care Reside...

Dec 27, 2020

B.C.'s first case of more contagious U.K. COVID-19 strain found in Island Health

NANAIMO - Island Health is home to the first identified case in B.C. of a more contagious COVID-19 strain. "The individual, who resides in the Island Health region, returned to B.C. from the U.K. on f...

Dec 27, 2020

New lockdown measures begin in Ontario as some provinces move Boxing Day online

MONTREAL - Ontario began a provincewide lockdown on Saturday as several provinces are opting for online or scaled-down Boxing Day shopping to limit the spread of COVID-19. The province has reported mo...

Dec 26, 2020

10 new COVID-19 cases in Island Health on Christmas Eve

NANAIMO - 10 people within Island Health received an unfortunate Christmas present on Christmas Eve. Island Health reporting 10 new cases of COVID-19 within the health authority on Thursday, Dec. 24. ...

Dec 24, 2020

Top Stories of 2020: Hundreds of supportive housing units announced for Nanaimo, temporary housing sites to close

NANAIMO - Hundreds of new supportive housing units were announced for Nanaimo after years of calls for more supports. The province announced in mid-July upwards of 190 supportive housing units and 125...

Dec 23, 2020

New COVID-19 cases dropping by more than half in Nanaimo & Oceanside areas

NANAIMO - New data shows how restrictions are limiting COVID-19 transmission in the Nanaimo and Oceanside areas. The BC CDC showed there were six new cases of COVID-19 within Nanaimo and one in Oceans...

Dec 23, 2020