COVID-19 hospitalizations in B.C. down 30% from peak 3 weeks ago

B.C. health officials reported 733 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Friday, including 113 in intensive care, as the province recorded five more deaths from the disease and 692 new cases.

The new numbers represent adecreaseof 11 COVID-19 patients hospitalized within the last 24 hours, including sevenfewerpatients in the ICU.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by 13.6per cent from last Friday, when 846people were in hospital with the disease, and down about 14.2 per cent from a month ago when 854people were in hospital.

Hospitalizations are down by 30 per cent since Jan. 31, when 1,048 people were in hospital with COVID-19. This was the highest recorded number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the province.

Deaths also lag behind cases, with higher numbersa reflection of Omicron's surge last month.

The number of patients in intensive care is down by about 16.9 per cent from 136 a week ago and upby 0.9 per cent from a month ago when 112 people were in the ICU.

As ofFriday, 12.3 per cent of COVID-19 tests in B.C. are coming back positive, according to the province's COVID-19 dashboard.The number had been above 20 per cent through most of January but beganto fall this month, along with hospitalizations.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said thatanything above a five per cent test-positivity rateis an indicator of community transmission.

The provincialdeath toll from COVID-19is now 2,786 lives lost out of 343,631 confirmed cases to date.

There area total of 33active outbreaks in assisted living, long-term, and acute care facilities.

Acute care outbreaksinclude:

• Burnaby Hospital.
• Langley Memorial Hospital.
• Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.

As of Friday,90.5 per cent of those five and older in B.C. hadreceived their first dose of aCOVID-19 vaccineand 85.6per cent asecond dose.

From Feb. 10to 16, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 22.1per cent of cases and from Feb. 3 to 16,they accounted for 32per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

A total of 2.5 million people have received a booster shot to date.

Interior Health resumes surgeries

Interior Health says it's taking a phased approach to resuming services that were paused last month, including rescheduling postponed surgeries and reopening in-patient services.

A statement from president Susan Brown says the impacts of the Omicron wave of COVID-19 on staffing in the region's health-care system are beginning to subside.

In-patient services are also set to reopen March 14 in Lillooet with two new nurses.

The health authority says overnight services at the Ashcroft Community Health Centre and the Slocan Community Health Centre in New Denver remain temporarily reduced to stabilize daytime services in those communities.

Moving pastOmicron wave

Canada's top doctor says the country is past the peak of the COVID-19 wave caused by the Omicron variant and is ready to move out of a crisis response.

"We are hopeful we are approaching a period of reduced transmission, allowing Canadians a chance to regain a sense of normalcy," Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer, said Friday.

Tam said while there are reasons to hope, COVID-19 is still spreading at high levels and hospitals remain stretched thin.

Easing public health measures could still lead to resurgence, she said.