COVID-19 update: Hospitalizations reach 5-month high as B.C. expands vaccine booster access
CTV
The number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in British Columbia has reached a five-month high, the province revealed shortly after announcing expanded access to vaccine booster shots.
The number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in British Columbia has reached a five-month high, the province revealed shortly after announcing expanded access to vaccine booster shots.
There are 390 people in hospital with COVID-19, including 155 in intensive care, according to Tuesday's update from the Ministry of Health. That's the highest number of hospitalizations since May 13, when there were 413 coronavirus patients in treatment.
The government also announced another 457 cases of COVID-19 and two related deaths, leaving the province's seven-day average for infections at 591 per day and the seven-day average for fatalities at 6.43 per day. Both numbers have been trending downward in recent days.
Once again, Northern Health recorded the highest number of infections per capita. The latest cases were distributed as follows:
Another 591 people recovered from COVID-19 as well, according to the ministry, pushing the province's active caseload to 4,829, down from 4,966 on Monday.
Tuesday's update once again shows the majority of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and ICU visits involve the unvaccinated. Approximately 86 per cent of ICU patients haven't received a single dose of vaccine, according to a table shared by Health Minister Adrian Dix on Twitter, including 41 of the 42 patients who are under the age of 50.
Just under 90 per cent of eligible B.C. residents have received at least one dose of vaccine, and nearly 85 per cent have received two.