COVID-positive hospitalizations increased by 3.7% in B.C.

Photo: BC gov. Flickr

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry

After COVID hospitalizations dropped slightly for the first time in weeks on Thursday, the number of COVID-positive people in B.C. hospitals has risen by close to four per cent Friday.

The province is reporting 2,364 new COVID-19 cases in B.C. in the past 24 hours, bringing the province's active cases to 33,997. Of these cases, 924 people are now hospitalized, an increase of 33 since Thursday, and the most since the pandemic began. Of these, 130 people are now being treated in intensive care, an increase of 11.

Active cases in the province dropped by 838 since Thursday.

Of Friday's new cases, 655 came from the Interior. There are now 6,490 active cases in the region.

Another nine new COVID deaths have been reported throughout B.C. in the past 24 hours, including four in Fraser Health, four in Vancouver Coastal Health and one in Island Health. To date, 2,529 British Columbians have died after contracting COVID-19.

The new/active cases include:

• 686 new cases in Fraser Health — Total active cases: 15,768
• 499 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health — Total active cases: 8,121
• 655 new cases in Interior Health — Total active cases: 6,490
• 190 new cases in Northern Health — Total active cases: 1,581
• 334 new cases in Island Health — Total active cases: 2,024

There have been five new healthcare facility outbreaks in B.C., including at Kamloops' Pinegrove Care Centre and Osoyoos' Mariposa Gardens. There are now 62 ongoing outbreaks at healthcare facilities across the province.

In the past 24 hours, 57,793 doses of the vaccine were administered in B.C. As of Friday, 89.4% of eligible people five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 83.5% have received their second dose. To date, 37.8% of all eligible people 12 and older have received their third booster dose.

From Jan. 13-19, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 27.6% of cases and from Jan. 6-19, they accounted for 30.9% of hospitalizations.

Past week, cases per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (Jan. 13-19)

• Not vaccinated: 416.8
• Partially vaccinated: 188.6
• Fully vaccinated: 223.4

Past two weeks, cases hospitalized per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (Jan. 6-19)

• Not vaccinated: 78.6
• Partially vaccinated: 43.3
• Fully vaccinated: 17.7

Past week cases (Jan. 13-19) - Total 14,267

• Not vaccinated: 3,216 (22.5%)
• Partially vaccinated: 721 (5.1%)
• Fully vaccinated: 10,330 (72.4%)

Past two weeks cases hospitalized (Jan. 6-19) - Total 1,193

• Not vaccinated: 315 (26.4%)
• Partially vaccinated: 54 (4.5%)
• Fully vaccinated: 824 (69.1%)

Photo: Castanet News