COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising sharply in B.C. according to the latest weekly data from the BCCDC.
The weekly report showed there are currently 485 people in hospital with COVID, up from 364 last week. There are 38 people in ICU, up by two from last week.
A total of 238 people were admitted to hospital with COVID between April 6 and April 16 — 97 of whom were in Fraser Health, 41 in Interior Health, 17 in Northern Health, 44 in Vancouver Coastal Health and 39 in Island Health. Not everyone admitted to hospital who is COVID positive is in hospital because of complications from the virus.
B.C. is reporting 2,036 confirmed cases of COVID-19, however, PCR testing is limited, so the province’s case count is likely far higher than what is reported. Last week B.C. reported 1,770 confirmed cases. British Columbians aged 18 and older can access free rapid tests from their local pharmacy, but positive rapid tests are not included in provincial data.
From April 10 to 16, 27 people are believed to have died from COVID. When B.C. moved to weekly reporting, the way deaths are tallied was changed to 30-day all-cause mortality, meaning that anyone who dies within 30-days of testing positive for COVID is counted. This results in an overcount of fatalities and will be retroactively corrected once the cause of death is confirmed by vital statistics.
READ MORE: B.C. COVID hospitalizations up as province releases weekly report
@SchislerCole
cole.schisler@bpdigital.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
