Rate of hospitalizations begins to slow as B.C. reports 990 people in hospital with COVID-19

B.C. health officials reported 990 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Friday, including 141in intensive care,as the province recorded ninemore deaths from the disease and 2,137 new cases.

The new numbers represent an increaseof 13 COVID-19 patients hospitalized within the last 24 hours. There was no change in the number of people in the ICU.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are up sevenper cent from last Friday, when 924people were in hospital with the disease.

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

The number of patients in intensive care is up by about eight per cent from 130a week ago and by 53per cent from a month ago when 66people 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.

As of Thursday, 21.6per cent of COVID-19 tests in B.C. are coming back positive, according to the province's COVID-19 dashboard.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said thatanything above a five per cent test-positivity rateindicates a concerning level of community transmission.

There are currently 30,515 recorded active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

The provincialdeath toll from COVID-19is now 2,597 lives lost out of 321,043 confirmed cases to date.

There area total of 58active outbreaks in assisted living, long-term, and acute care facilities.

Acute care outbreaksinclude:

• Surrey Memorial Hospital.
• Langley Memorial Hospital.
• Peace Arch Hospital.
• Royal Jubilee Hospital.
• Victoria General Hospital.
• Nanaimo Regional Hospital.
• Cowichan District Hospital.

As of Friday, 89.8per cent of those five and older in B.C. hadreceived their first dose of aCOVID-19 vaccineand 83.8per cent asecond dose.

A total of 2,031,592people have received a booster shot to date.

2 unprecedented years

Friday marks two years to the day when the first case of COVID-19 was detected in B.C.

Henry and Dix announced itat a news conference on Jan. 28, 2020. Since then, British Columbianshave experienced social isolation, multiple health ordersandthe arrival of vaccines.

The pandemic itself has also shifted with the introduction of thehighly-transmissible Omicron variant.

Health officials say contact tracing is no longer an effective way of controlling the spread of the virusand are asking British Columbiansto self-monitor for symptoms, follow health ordersand, above all, get vaccinated to help protect society's most vulnerable.

"We are not at the point where we're just throwing inthe towel and saying, 'Do nothing.' What we're saying is, 'All of us have to continue to do what we're doing and it's working,'" said Henry, speaking Friday morning on CBC Radio'sThe Current.

Vaccine cards for 12-year-olds

An updated provincial health order now requires childrenage 12 to only have one dose of a vaccine to enter an event or setting where proof of vaccination is required.

As of Feb. 1, children and youth will be allowed to participate in sports tournaments.

B.C. health officials say the order was updated after it was pointed out to them that11 year olds with one dose of a pediatric vaccine would be denied entry to these settings once they turned 12 because they had only hadone dose of the vaccine and hadn't had enough time to get a second.

"This change is aimed at fairness for this age group, while they are waiting for the recommended time to receive their second dose," the Ministry of Health said in a written statement.