13 children, teens hospitalized with COVID-19 this week, B.C. officials say
B.C. health officials have provided new details on the recent uptick in children and teenagers being hospitalized with COVID-19, including that none of the patients have required critical care.
Dr. Bonnie Henry shared the latest hospitalization data during a modelling presentation Friday, revealing 13 patients under the age of 18 were admitted to hospital with COVID-19 from Jan. 6 to 12.
Nine of those were children under the age of five, who are currently ineligible for vaccination. There were also two hospitalizations in the five to 11 age group, and two in the 12 to 17 age group.
Henry noted that officials in B.C. and other jurisdictions are "seeing a different pattern" of illness among young people who catch Omicron, which is now the dominant variant in Canada.
"It behaves more like some of the other respiratory viruses in triggering things like asthma and airway disease and bronchiolitis in young children," she said. "That's most commonly the reason they're in hospital after infection with COVID."
While there were no children admitted to critical care over the last week, and there have been no coronavirus deaths involving B.C. children since April, officials have cautioned that young people can still get seriously ill, and transmit the virus to others.
There were 2,782 cases involving people under the age of 18 from Jan. 6 to 12, including 1,026 involving children under the age of five.
Henry encouraged parents to get their kids vaccinated when eligible, noting that COVID-19 case rates are higher for people who are unvaccinated, whether they are adults or children. The province's data also shows vaccination significantly decreases the likelihood of hospitalization among young people.
"We've only had one case of a child hospitalized who's been vaccinated," Henry said. That child's stay in hospital was short, according to officials.
Since the start of the pandemic, 32 children and teenagers have been admitted to intensive care, including 14 under the age of five.
Officials also stressed the importance of parents and others who spend time around young children getting vaccinated, calling it "the best we can do to protect them from transmission."
The province's modelling presentation indicated that, when adjusted for age, unvaccinated people are 27 times more likely to require intensive care and 40 times more likely to die from COVID-19.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.