B.C. reports 7 more people in hospital with COVID-19, 7 more in the ICU and 3 additional deaths
CBC
B.C. health officials say 324 people are now in hospital with COVID-19, including 90 in intensive care, as the province reported three more deaths from the disease and 3,223 new cases on Thursday.
The new numbers represent an increase of seven COVID-19 patients hospitalized within the last 24 hours, and seven more patients in the ICU.
Experts say hospitalizations are a more accurate barometer of the disease's impact, as new case numbers in B.C. are likely higher than reported, now that the province has hit its testing limit because of the Omicron surge.
As of Thursday, 24.2 per cent of COVID-19 tests in B.C. are coming back positive, according to the province's COVID-19 dashboard.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said that anything above a five per cent test-positivity rate indicates a concerning level of community transmission.
There are currently 31,817 recorded active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.
Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are up by 53.6 per cent from last Thursday, when 211 people were in hospital with the disease and up about 34.4 per cent from a month ago when 241 people were in hospital.
The number of patients in intensive care is up by about 36.4 per cent from 66 a week ago and up by 1.1 per cent from a month ago when 89 people were in the ICU.
The provincial death toll from COVID-19 is now 2,430 lives lost out of 273,731 confirmed cases to date.
Sixteen new outbreaks were declared in assisted living, long-term care and acute care facilities on Thursday. There are a total of 37 active outbreaks in those settings, including outbreaks at Mission Memorial Hospital, Surrey Memorial Hospital, Eagle Ridge Hospital, Royal Columbian Hospital and Victoria General Hospital.
As of Thursday, 88.4 per cent of those five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 83.1 per cent a second dose.
From Dec. 29 to Jan. 4, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 16.5 per cent of cases and from Dec. 22 to Jan. 4, and they accounted for 41.1 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.
On Wednesday, the Prince Rupert Fire Rescue Department was operating with only seven of 20 staff, due to COVID-19.
Prince Rupert city manager Rob Buchan said the skeleton crew of seven firefighters had already responded to a house fire and a medical distress call.
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