B.C. COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU numbers remain stable

COVID-19 hospitalizations and the number of patients in critical care have remained stable from a week ago, according to the latest numbers from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

The BCCDC reported 290 people hospitalized with the disease on Thursday, up from 286 a week ago. The province's dashboard shows 26 people in the ICU, down from 27 last Thursday. 

In the week leading up to Nov. 5, 20 new deaths were reported among people who tested positive for the coronavirus within the previous 30 days. That brings the number of deaths potentially linked to the disease to 4,552.

That same week, 407 new cases of COVID-19 were reported by B.C. labs, down around 16 per cent from the week before. 

Case totals are believed to be significant underestimates of the true spread of the disease because the centre only counts PCR tests in its report, which are currently inaccessible to the majority of British Columbians. 

Last month, a B.C. modelling group said the province was under-reporting key COVID metrics, including deaths. Weekly numbers shared by the province are preliminary and are often changed retroactively. 

For instance, last week, the province reported 23 deaths in the week ending Oct. 29. That total has been revised upwards to 28, an increase of around 21 per cent. 

Wastewater testing at five different treatment plants in Metro Vancouver, representing 50 per cent of B.C.'s population, shows that virus levels are stable or declining. 

On Thursday Canada's chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam urged Canadians to wear masks to help hospitals cope with a surge of respiratory viruses. 

The Public Health Agency of Canada's latest report shows both influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have increased above seasonal levels. 

Health officials are asking British Columbians to sign up for their COVID-19 booster shots when they receive an invitation and to get a flu shot as soon as possible.