Number of COVID-positive patients in hospital rises for 2nd straight week

For the second week in a row, the number of patients in B.C. hospitals with COVID-19 rose, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control reported Thursday.

The centre's weekly report noted 240 patients in hospital with the virus that causes COVID-19 as of Feb. 23. A week ago, there were 193.

Seventeen patients are in critical care,up by two from 15 last week.The year began with 356 people in hospital.

However,the B.C. Centre for Disease Control says severe outcomes are not increasing.

"Trends in severe outcomes have been relatively stable or declining overall based on the information available thus far," the weekly report stated.

The centre reported the week ending Feb. 18 saw 22 deaths within 30 days of the first positive COVID-19 test result compared to 13 the week before.

For the week ending Feb. 18, 356 new cases were reported, bringing the total to 396,065.

Unlike hospitalizations, case totals significantly underestimate the true spread of the disease as the BCCDC only counts PCR tests in its report, which are currently inaccessible to the majority of British Columbians.

The centre described influenza activity as low and RSV levels high but declining, "consistent with historical trends."

It described tests for the virus in wastewater as "relatively stable overall."

Weekly numbers shared by the province are preliminary and are often changed retroactively.