COVID-19-related hospitalizations drop nearly 10% in 1 day, but province records 18 more deaths

B.C. health officials reported 893 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Wednesday, including 143 in intensive care, as the province recorded 18 more deaths from the disease and 1,187 new cases.

The new numbers represent93 fewer COVID-19 patients hospitalized or a nearly 10 per cent decrease within the last 24 hours, as well asthree fewer patients in the ICU.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are also down by 10per cent from last Wednesday, when 988people were in hospital with the disease.

Deaths also lag cases so higher numbers are a reflection of Omicron's surge last month.

Due to a data reporting change introduced Jan. 14, month-to-month hospitalization comparisons won't be available again until Feb. 14.

The number of patients in intensive care is upby about fiveper cent from 136a week ago and upby 50per cent from a month ago when 95people were in the ICU.

Experts say hospitalizations area more accurate barometer of the disease's impact,as new case numbersin B.C. arelikely much higherthan reported, now that the province has hitits testing limit because of the Omicron surge.

Currently, B.C. has21,974 active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus.

The provincialdeath toll from COVID-19is2,725 lives lost out of 336,229 confirmed cases to date.

There area total of 54active outbreaks in assisted living, long-term, and acute care facilities.

Acute care outbreaksinclude:

• Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
• Cowichan District Hospital.

As of Wednesday, 90.3per cent of those five and older in B.C. hadreceived their first dose of aCOVID-19 vaccineand 84.8per cent asecond dose.

From Feb. 1-7, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 24.3% of cases. From Jan. 25 to Feb. 7, they accounted for 31.0% of hospitalizations.

A total of 2,347,591 people have received a booster shot to date.

Restrictions expiring

Restrictions around gathering sizes are set to expire on Feb. 16, and Health Minister Adrian Dix says the province is currently on track to see those easedor lifted.

He saystest positivity is declining, as well as hospitalizations,but officials are proceeding with caution as hundreds of people remain in hospital with the virus.

Dix has alsosaid that protests against restrictions, no matter how disruptive, won't change public health policies.

Those decisions are made by public health leaders, who are informed by the current COVID-19 data.

During a media appearance on Tuesday, Premier John Horgan was asked whether he planned to begin endingCOVID-19 measuresin line with provinces like Saskatchewan, which isending its vaccine passport program next week.

Horgan said any change in restrictions will be at the discretion of Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.