15 more deaths in latest B.C. COVID-19 update
B.C. has recorded 15 more COVID-19-related deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing the seven-day rolling average for deaths in the province to its highest level since mid-October.
That average reached 8.3 with Thursday's update, up from just 1.1 as recently as Jan. 5.
There have now been 2,520 deaths attributed to COVID-19 in B.C. since the pandemic began.
The latest data from the Ministry of Health also included 891 people in hospital with COVID-19, a slight decrease from Wednesday's total of 895.
The number of people in intensive care with the coronavirus has risen, however, from 115 on Wednesday to 119 in Thursday's update.
B.C.'s hospitalization numbers include both people who are admitted to hospital because of COVID-19 infections and those who are admitted for other reasons and test positive as part of routine screening.
The number reported each day is said to be an "overestimate" of the number of coronavirus patients with serious illness in the province, with a recent study in Vancouver Coastal Health finding approximately 45 per cent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients were admitted with the disease, rather than because of it.
Five of the deaths announced Thursday happened in the Fraser Health region. Vancouver Coastal Health and Island Health saw four deaths each, and the remaining two were in the Interior Health authority.
The province does not release the vaccination status of people who die from COVID-19 on a daily basis.
Data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control indicates that people who are unvaccinated accounted for 39 of the 82 deaths recorded in the province between Dec. 18 and Jan. 17. That's approximately 48 per cent of deaths during the period. People who have not been vaccinated make up just 14 per cent of the province's population.
As of Thursday, 89.4 per cent of eligible people ages five and older in B.C. had received at least a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 83.5 per cent had received two shots.
Among adults, 39.3 per cent had received a booster dose.
Many of those who have received their booster shots are residents of long-term care homes.
The ministry announced eight new outbreaks of COVID-19 in such facilities on Thursday. There were also six outbreaks declared over, leaving the province with 58 active outbreaks in its health-care facilities, most of them in long-term care.
As of last week, relatively few of the outbreaks in care homes during the Omicron wave had resulted in deaths, according to BCCDC data.
The latest update also included 2,150 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19. B.C. has been de-emphasizing case numbers since Omicron swamped the province's testing system.
The actual number of new infections in the province over the last 24 hours is likely several times higher than the reported number, since B.C. is recommending against testing for those who are vaccinated and under age 65.
Health officials said last week that they believed Omicron cases had peaked in the province, based on wastewater monitoring.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
Tesla recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks because accelerator pedal can get stuck
Tesla is recalling 3,878 of its 2024 Cybertrucks after it discovered that the accelerator pedal can become stuck, potentially causing the vehicle to accelerate unintentionally and increase the risk of a crash.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
A couple lost their wedding rings during the ceremony. Two strangers found a fitting solution
Every good wedding has to have one teensy, tiny crisis.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.