The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada for Monday, Feb. 22, 2021

The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times eastern):

8 p.m.

British Columbia is reporting 1,428 new COVID-19 cases over the past three days, for a total of 77,263 since the pandemic began.

There have also been eight more deaths, bringing the number of fatalities linked to the new coronavirus to 1,335 in B.C.

Health officials say that 218,726 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, of which 55,057 are second doses.

The officials say there are 28 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 variants of concern in B.C., for a total of 101 cases and two cases of variants that are under investigation.

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6:10 p.m.

Alberta is reporting 273 new cases of COVID-19 and 16 additional deaths linked to the virus.

There are 324 people in hospital with the virus and 53 of them are in intensive care.

The province says it has also detected 11 new cases of COVID-19 variants, bringing that total to 289.

Chief medical health officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw says no decision will be made before March 1 on whether to further loosen public-health restrictions.

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3 p.m.

Saskatchewan is reporting 177 new cases of COVID-19.

There are 1,652 active cases.

The province says 177 people are in hospital with the virus, and 15 of them are in intensive care.

So far, 81 per cent of residents in long-term care homes have received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

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1:45 p.m.

Public health officials in New Brunswick have confirmed another death at the Manoir Belle Vue long-term care home in Edmundston as a result of underlying conditions including COVID-19.

They say the person was in their 80s and is the province’s 26th COVID-19-related death.

Officials are also reporting one new case in the Edmundston region involving a person in their 40s who is a close contact of a known case and is self-isolating.

There are currently 84 active cases in the province, and two people are hospitalized, including one in intensive care.

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1:40 p.m.

Manitoba health officials are reporting 97 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths. 

The province’s chief public health officer says there are no new cases involving variants of concern, such as the B.1.1.7 variant first seen in the United Kingdom. 

Four such cases have been identified to date, all related to travel.

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1:10 p.m.

Nova Scotia is reporting one new case of COVID-19 today.

The new case is in the Halifax area and is a close contact of a previously reported case.

The province currently has 19 active infections.

As of Sunday, 27,521 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, with 11,533 people having received their required second dose.

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12:45 p.m.

Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting 14 new cases of COVID-19.

Health officials said today two cases are travel related and involve people in western Newfoundland and in the region spanning Labrador and Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula.

The remaining cases are in the eastern health region, where officials have been battling an outbreak they say is caused by the B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant.

There are 407 active reported cases across the province, and five people are in hospital with the disease.

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12:30 p.m.

Manitoba is extending two government programs linked to COVID-19.

The province is adding $2 million to its Stay At Home program, which funds live streaming of cultural events, fitness classes and other content people can view from their home. 

The government is also boosting its advertising campaign that explains to viewers how to stay safe from the novel coronavirus.

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12:15 p.m.

Nunavut is reporting 12 new cases of COVID-19 today, all in Arviat.

It’s been more than 100 days since the first case of COVID-19 in Arviat, and the community of about 2,800 people continues to deal with an outbreak.

Chief public health officer Dr. Michael Patterson says there isn’t evidence of community transmission in Arviat as all cases are related to household transmission.

The community has been under a strict lockdown since November, with all schools and non-essential businesses closed.

There are 33 active reported cases of COVID-19 in Nunavut, all in Arviat.

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11 a.m.

Quebec is reporting 805 new cases of COVID-19 today and 11 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, including two in the past 24 hours.

Health officials say hospitalizations rose by three, to 689, and 117 people were in intensive care, a drop of two.

The province says 7,396 doses of vaccine were administered yesterday, for a total of 353,894.

Quebec has reported 282,927 cases of COVID-19 and 10,318 deaths linked to the virus.

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10:30 a.m.

Ontario says there are 1,058 new cases of COVID-19 in the province and 11 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus.

Health Minister Christine Elliott said today 325 of the new cases are in Toronto and 215 are in Peel Region.

York Region, which moved down into the red zone of Ontario’s tiered reopening framework this morning, had 87 new cases.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 22, 2021.

The Canadian Press