B.C. COVID-19 hospitalizations drop below 600 in final update of the week

The number of test-positive COVID-19 patients in B.C. hospitals dropped below 600 Friday for the first time in more than a month, and the number of patients in intensive care units fell below 100.

The number of test-positive COVID-19 patients in B.C. hospitals dropped below 600 Friday for the first time in more than a month, and the number of patients in intensive care units fell below 100.

There are 599 people in B.C. hospitals with COVID-19, according to an update shared by the Ministry of Health. That total includes both people who have a serious enough infection that it requires hospitalization and people who are hospitalized for other reasons and test positive for COVID-19 incidentally.

The number of COVID-19 patients in B.C. ICUs is now 96.

The total number of people with COVID-19 in B.C. hospitals is the lowest it's been since the province switched last month to a "hospital census" model that does not attempt to exclude incidental cases. 

Friday's update wasn't all good news, however, as the province reported 12 more deaths related to the coronavirus.

There have now been 2,851 deaths attributed to COVID-19 in B.C. since the pandemic began.

The ministry said that total has been adjusted "due to a data correction." One death that had previously been reported has been removed from the total. The ministry did not elaborate on why the correction was necessary.