B.C. reports 13 COVID-19 deaths, another jump in hospitalizations

The B.C. government has announced 13 more deaths related to COVID-19, along with another increase in test-positive patients in hospital.

The B.C. government has announced 13 more deaths related to COVID-19, along with another jump in test-positive patients in hospital.

Wednesday's update from the Ministry of Health continues the trends of increasing fatalities and hospitalizations that have been recorded in the province for weeks.

B.C.'s seven-day average for coronavirus-related deaths has now reached 7.14 per day, which is the highest it's been since Nov. 16. The average was holding steady at around 1.29 per day at the beginning of the year.

Six of the deaths were recorded in the Fraser Health region, four were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, two were in the Island Health region and one was in the Interior Health region.

Meanwhile, the number of patients in hospital with COVID-19 has increased to 895, up from 854 on Tuesday. That includes 115 patients in intensive care.

Overall hospitalization numbers are now considered an "overestimate" of COVID-19's immediate impact on the health-care system, as the province switched to a new system of reporting that includes all so-called incidental cases – people who were in hospital for reasons unrelated to the virus but tested positive during routine screening.

Officials have said approximately 45 per cent of COVID-19 hospitalizations are likely incidental, based on a case study conducted in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.