COVID-19 in B.C.: Latest update includes more than 800 cases, 5 deaths

A woman wears a face mask and shield to curb the spread of COVID-19 while walking in North Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. (Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Vancouver -

B.C. added 832 new cases of COVID-19 to its total on Thursday, as well as five deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The latest numbers bring the province's seven-day rolling average to 654, up from 636 on Wednesday.

There are currently 5,697 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C. Of those, 330 people are battling the disease in hospital, a total that includes 148 infectious patients in intensive care.

The number of patients listed as being in provincial ICUs has declined by nine, but as CTV News reported earlier in the week, that doesn't necessarily mean they are no longer in intensive care. Rather, it could mean that they are no longer infectious. 

The provincial government has come under fire for its practice of removing coronavirus patients in ICU from the total once they are no longer considered infectious, even though they sometimes remain in treatment for months.

The ministry's numbers for new and active cases do not match the totals that were posted on the B.C. Centre for Disease Control's COVID-19 dashboard earlier in the day Thursday.

The BCCDC reported 861 new cases and 5,726 active cases.

The ministry's statement notes that its numbers are "provisional due to a delayed data refresh and will be verified once confirmed."

The ministry and the BCCDC reported matching numbers of hospitalizations and intensive care admissions on Thursday.

According to the ministry, 377 of the cases added to the provincial total on Thursday were in the Fraser Health region. That's more than double the total recorded in Interior Health, which added 153 cases and was the next highest regional total.

Northern Health added 117 cases, Vancouver Coastal Health added 114 and Island Health added 71.

It's worth noting, however, that the health authorities have vastly different populations. On a per-capita basis, Northern Health added the most cases on Thursday, with 41.1 per 100,000 residents.

Fraser Health added 19.8 cases per 100,000, Interior Health added 18.5, Vancouver Coastal Health added 9.5 and Island Health added 8.3.

There have been 181,769 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,915 deaths in B.C. since the pandemic began.

The vast majority of cases and hospitalizations continue to be among people who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Unvaccinated people made up 67.8 per cent of all new cases during the week of Sept. 15 to 21, despite accounting for roughly one-quarter of the total provincial population.

Similarly, the unvaccinated accounted for 74.8 per cent of all hospitalizations during the two weeks from Sept. 8 to 21.

As of Thursday, 87.3 per cent of people ages 12 and older in B.C. had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 79.9 per cent of people in that age group had received a second dose.