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Keith the curious kitten is seen on Nov. 4, 2020 at the Chilliwack SPCA. Friday, Jan. 22, 2021 is Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)

Unofficial holidays: Here’s what people are celebrating for the week of Jan. 17 to 23

Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day, Pie Day and International Sweatpants Day are all coming up this week

Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry head for the press theatre at the B.C. legislature for an update on COVID-19, Jan. 7, 2021. (B.C. government)

B.C.’s COVID-19 spread steady with 509 new cases Friday

Hospitalized and critical care cases decline, nine deaths

A woman wears a face mask and shield to curb the spread of COVID-19 while walking in North Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday, January 6, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

536 COVID cases, 7 deaths reported as B.C. finds its first case of South African variant

Henry said 69,746 people have received their first dose of the COVID vaccine.

COVID-19 cases reported to B.C. public health, up to Jan. 11, 2021. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)

B.C. records 519 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday

360 people in hospital, 76 in critical care units

COVID-19 cases reported to B.C. public health, up to Jan. 11, 2021. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry updates B.C.’s COVID-19 situation at the legislature, Jan. 11, 2021. (B.C. government)

B.C. sees another 446 COVID-19 cases Tuesday, nine more deaths

Hospitalization rates holding steady after holiday season

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry updates B.C.’s COVID-19 situation at the legislature, Jan. 11, 2021. (B.C. government)
A worker is seen cleaning surfaces inside Little Mountain Place, a long term care home where 41 residents have died since a COVID-19 outbreak was declared at the facility in November, in Vancouver, on Thursday, January 7, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

COVID death toll in B.C. tops 1,000 as 1,475 new cases recorded over the weekend

B.C. has administered nearly 60,000 vaccines as of Sunday night

A worker is seen cleaning surfaces inside Little Mountain Place, a long term care home where 41 residents have died since a COVID-19 outbreak was declared at the facility in November, in Vancouver, on Thursday, January 7, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
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This Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, image from a video released by Schwarzenegger shows former Republican California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivering a public message. Schwarzenegger compared the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol to the Nazis and called President Donald Trump a failed leader who “will go down in history as the worst president ever.” (Frank Fastner/Arnold Schwarzenegger via AP)

VIDEO: Arnold Schwarzenegger compares U.S. Capitol mob to Nazis

Schwarzenegger, who was born in Austria, compared the Proud Boys — a far-right extremist group — to the Nazis

This Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, image from a video released by Schwarzenegger shows former Republican California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivering a public message. Schwarzenegger compared the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol to the Nazis and called President Donald Trump a failed leader who “will go down in history as the worst president ever.” (Frank Fastner/Arnold Schwarzenegger via AP)
Elvis Presley was born 86 years ago, in January, 1935. How much do you know about this iconic performer? (Pixabay.com)

QUIZ: How much do you know about Elvis?

Elvis Presley, the iconic singer and actor, would have celebrated his 86th birthday this month

Elvis Presley was born 86 years ago, in January, 1935. How much do you know about this iconic performer? (Pixabay.com)
Crews move a 110-year-old heritage house along a road in Chilliwack on Aug. 7, 2020 to relocate it. Monday, Jan. 11 is Heritage Treasures Day. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)

Unofficial holidays: Here’s what people are celebrating for the week of Jan. 10 to 16

Heritage Treasures Day, Dress Up Your Pet Day and Religious Freedom Day are all coming up this week

Crews move a 110-year-old heritage house along a road in Chilliwack on Aug. 7, 2020 to relocate it. Monday, Jan. 11 is Heritage Treasures Day. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)
Marcia Carr, 73, who returned to nursing during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic after four years in retirement, in New Westminster, B.C., on Thursday, January 7, 2021. Carr is among retired and current health-care professionals waiting to be deployed to immunization clinics, mobile units or wherever they’re needed. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. reports 617 more COVID-19 cases, 18 more deaths

Gathering, travel restrictions extended to Feb. 5

Marcia Carr, 73, who returned to nursing during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic after four years in retirement, in New Westminster, B.C., on Thursday, January 7, 2021. Carr is among retired and current health-care professionals waiting to be deployed to immunization clinics, mobile units or wherever they’re needed. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
COVID-19 cases reported to public health to Jan. 5, 2021. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)

B.C. shifts reporting to get COVID-19 information out faster

Cases by care home to be updated weekly

COVID-19 cases reported to public health to Jan. 5, 2021. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix give a briefing on the coronavirus pandemic at the B.C. legislature, April 21, 2020. (B.C. government)

B.C. records 625 more COVID-19 cases as holiday results come in

Dr. Bonnie Henry to announce Thursday if orders extended

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix give a briefing on the coronavirus pandemic at the B.C. legislature, April 21, 2020. (B.C. government)
Patient prepared for operation at Cambie Surgery Centre in Vancouver, 2016. The B.C. government has contracted for surgeries in private clinics as well as adding hospital capacity to catch up on 30,000 procedures to prepare for COVID-19 cases in the medical system. (The Canadian Press)

B.C. surgery wait list getting shorter after COVID-19 disruption

Medical staff added after wait times doubled for some

Patient prepared for operation at Cambie Surgery Centre in Vancouver, 2016. The B.C. government has contracted for surgeries in private clinics as well as adding hospital capacity to catch up on 30,000 procedures to prepare for COVID-19 cases in the medical system. (The Canadian Press)
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix update B.C.’s COVID-19 situation from the Vancouver cabinet offices, Sept. 17, 2020. (B.C. government)

No big spike in B.C. COVID-19 cases so far after holidays

B.C. reports 428 more cases Tuesday, eight deaths

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix update B.C.’s COVID-19 situation from the Vancouver cabinet offices, Sept. 17, 2020. (B.C. government)
Christmas decorations are seen in front of an office building in Montreal, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. A new survey suggests nearly half of Canadians visited with family or friends over the winter holiday period. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Nearly half of Canadians visited friends, family over holidays, new poll suggests

Public health officials had pleaded with Canadians to sharply limit their contacts

Christmas decorations are seen in front of an office building in Montreal, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. A new survey suggests nearly half of Canadians visited with family or friends over the winter holiday period. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
A healthcare worker takes a swab from a driver at a drive-thru COVID-19 testing facility, in Vancouver, on Monday, December 28, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. records 2,211 new COVID cases, 45 deaths over New Year’s Eve long weekend

More than half the new cases were in Fraser Health

A healthcare worker takes a swab from a driver at a drive-thru COVID-19 testing facility, in Vancouver, on Monday, December 28, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2018, file photo, moderator Alex Trebek speaks in Hershey, Pa. Sony Pictures Television said Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, that Trebek’s final “Jeopardy!” episodes will air the week of Jan. 4, concluding with a special tribute on Friday, Jan. 8. The longtime and beloved host died of pancreatic cancer on Nov. 8 at age 80. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Trebek’s last new ‘Jeopardy!’ episodes airing with a tribute

It was unexpected that the episodes taped in late October would be his final ones,

FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2018, file photo, moderator Alex Trebek speaks in Hershey, Pa. Sony Pictures Television said Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, that Trebek’s final “Jeopardy!” episodes will air the week of Jan. 4, concluding with a special tribute on Friday, Jan. 8. The longtime and beloved host died of pancreatic cancer on Nov. 8 at age 80. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
A heron brings a twig back to its nest at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve in Chilliwack on March 18, 2015. Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021 is Bird Day. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)

Unofficial holidays: Here’s what people are celebrating for the week of Jan. 3 to 9

Bird Day, World Braille Day and I’m Not Going to Take it Anymore Day are all coming up this week

A heron brings a twig back to its nest at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve in Chilliwack on March 18, 2015. Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021 is Bird Day. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)
A woman enters BC Women’s Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., Sunday, January 7, 2007. (Richard Lam/CP PHOTO)

B.C.’s first baby of 2021 born in Vancouver, 21 minutes after midnight

Canada’s first New Year’s baby of 2021 appears to have been born in Quebec

A woman enters BC Women’s Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., Sunday, January 7, 2007. (Richard Lam/CP PHOTO)
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry updates COVID-19 situation at the B.C. legislature, Dec. 17, 2020. (B.C. government)

B.C. finished 2020 with 683 more COVID-19 cases, eight deaths

Increase shows ‘precarious situation’ for New Year

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry updates COVID-19 situation at the B.C. legislature, Dec. 17, 2020. (B.C. government)