B.C. reports spike of 47 more people in hospital with COVID-19 over the weekend
Number of patients in intensive care has risen by 1 since Friday; data on new deaths delayed
B.C. health officials reported 321 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Monday, including 36 in intensive care, as the province announced that information on the deaths recorded over the weekend has been delayed.
Another 728 new cases of the disease have been recorded in the last three days. A statement from the province says updated numbers on COVID-related deaths won't be available until Thursday.
The new numbers represent an increase of 47 COVID-19 patients hospitalized since Friday, and one additional patient in the ICU.
Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are up by 11 per cent from last Monday, when 288 people were in hospital with the disease.
The number of patients in intensive care is down by about 25 per cent from 48 a week ago.
As of Thursday, 7.3 per cent of COVID-19 tests in B.C. are coming back positive, according to the province's COVID-19 dashboard. The test positivity rate has begun to rise again after falling steadily through February and the first half of March.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said anything above a five per cent test-positivity rate is an indicator of a more worrying level of transmission.
One new health facility outbreak has been recorded at Burnaby Hospital. There are a total of 10 active outbreaks in assisted living, long-term and acute care facilities.
As of Monday, 90.9 per cent of those five and older in B.C. had received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 87.4 per cent a second dose.
From March 25 to 31, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 18.6 per cent of cases and from March 18 to 31, they accounted for 20 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province. Unvaccinated people were about three times more likely to end up in hospital with the disease.
A total of 2.68 million people have received a booster shot to date.
The latest numbers follow news that B.C. Premier John Horgan has tested positive for COVID-19. The 62-year-old leader recently underwent treatment for throat cancer, which puts him at higher risk of a more serious outcome from the disease.