B.C. COVID-19 hospitalizations hit their lowest level in almost 2 years this month
Weekly wastewater surveillance data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control suggests COVID-19 transmission has continued declining in the Lower Mainland this month, a week after the centre reported its lowest hospitalization total in nearly two years.
Wastewater data published this week shows decreasing concentrations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in all five Metro Vancouver treatment plants.
As of June 4, concentrations at Lions Gate treatment plant on the North Shore had declined by 42 per cent compared to the previous week. Northwest Langley saw a decrease of 33 per cent, Annacis Island decreased by 29 per cent, Iona Island saw a 22-per-cent decrease and Lulu Island a 10-per-cent decrease.
Data for treatment plants outside the Lower Mainland had not been updated to include June 4 data as of Friday. Instead, they showed data from May 28, when all tracked regions except Kamloops and Nanaimo saw a decrease.
MONTHLY DATA
Wastewater has been the exception to the BCCDC's transition to monthly reporting of COVID-19 numbers.
Data on wastewater continues to be updated weekly on the centre's website, providing some insight as to the direction disease transmission may be heading between monthly updates.
This month's update, released June 1, showed a significant decline in the number of people in hospital with COVID-19 in B.C., which CTV News has been tracking closely since the start of the pandemic.
There were 146 test-positive COVID-19 patients in B.C. hospitals as of June 1, the lowest total seen all year.
The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 in B.C. in 2023, as reported by the BCCDC, is shown. (CTV)
Indeed, the last time the BCCDC reported a hospitalized population lower than 146 was almost two years ago, in August 2021.
At that time, the province used a different method of counting hospitalizations that sought to account for whether COVID was the underlying reason a patient was in hospital. Patients who tested positive for the disease incidentally, while in hospital for other reasons, were not included in the count.
Since the BCCDC began including incidental hospitalizations in its total, 146 is the lowest number it has reported in any update.
The number of patients in hospital with COVID-19, as reported by the BCCDC, since the province switched to including incidental hospitalizations in its count in January 2022. (CTV)
Underlying the June numbers were drops in hospitalizations across all of B.C.'s regional health authorities, perhaps most notably in Vancouver Coastal Health, where just 20 people were in hospital as of June 1.
There were fewer people in VCH hospitals than there were in hospitals in the Island Health region, despite the fact that Island Health has roughly 400,000 fewer residents. The VCH total was tied with that of Interior Health, which also has a significantly smaller population.
The number of COVID-19 patients in hospital by health authority in 2023 is shown. (CTV)
CTV News asked VCH if it had any explanation for why fewer people are ending up in hospital with COVID-19 in the region. The answer was no.
"COVID continues to circulate and will cause different impacts in different places as it has at all times during the pandemic, however, thanks to high rates of vaccination and less virus circulating, the number of cases continues to decline overall," a spokesperson said via email.
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.