B.C. reports 6 COVID-19 deaths, 646 hospitalizations following change to reporting system
The B.C. government announced six deaths related to COVID-19 on Friday, plus another huge jump in hospitalizations that officials attributed to a new reporting system.
The Ministry of Health said there are now 646 people in hospital with COVID-19 across the province, including 95 in intensive care.
That's a jump of more than 100 patients from the 534 announced Thursday, which was an all-time record for B.C., though the increase is largely due to a switch to what's called "census hospitalization reporting," meaning that every patient in hospital who tests positive for COVID-19 is now included in daily numbers.
The province's previous system excluded some patients, including those who caught COVID-19 in hospital because of an outbreak and people from out of province. The new one includes everyone, including so-called "incidental" infections among people who are hospitalized for other reasons.
Officials also reported 2,275 cases of COVID-19, though the government has started de-emphasizing daily infection numbers, which are believed to represent a fraction of actual transmission in the province. During a modelling presentation Friday morning, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry indicated the numbers could be three or four times higher than reported, due to limits in testing capacity.
There are indications that transmission is decreasing, including test positivity rates and the government's ongoing wastewater screening. Henry said officials believe COVID-19 transmission likely reached its peak last weekend.
"When we look at wastewater surveillance, it's not dependent on who gets tested," Henry said. "It really is a barometer of how much virus is in a community."
Hospitalizations are a lagging indicator, however, and government expects those to continue climbing for weeks.
"That is going to be a challenging few weeks on our hospitals," the provincial health officer cautioned. "The peak is coming."
The number of people dying from complications of COVID-19 has been on the rise as well, causing B.C.'s seven-day average to climb from 1.14 deaths per day up to 4.14 per day in less than two weeks.
Three of the latest coronavirus-related fatalities were recorded in the Fraser Health region, two were in the Interior Health region, and one was in the Island Health region.
Officials are confident the Omicron wave would be much worse if not for widespread vaccination. Friday's modelling indicated the unvaccinated are 12 times more likely to require hospitalization due to COVID-19, 37 times more likely to require intensive care, and 40 times more likely to die than others in their age group who are fully immunized.
So far, 89 per cent of eligible B.C. residents age five and up have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 83.3 per cent have received two. Nearly one-third of adults have also had a booster shot.
The Ministry of Health announced one new COVID-19 outbreak in the province's health-care sector on Friday, at Royal Jubilee Hospital. Eight others have been declared over, leaving 46 active outbreaks in health-care facilities across B.C.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6972157.1721587842!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Joe Biden drops out of 2024 race, endorses Kamala Harris to be Democratic nominee
U.S. President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for re-election after doubts were raised about his fitness for office. Soon after, he endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris to take his place in the November election.
Justin Trudeau reacts to Joe Biden announcing he won't run for re-election
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the news that U.S. President Joe Biden won’t run for re-election Sunday, calling Biden a 'true friend.'
Joe Biden wants to pass the baton to Kamala Harris. Here's how that might work
With U.S. President Joe Biden ending his re-election bid and endorsing Vice-President Kamala Harris, Democrats now must navigate a shift that is unprecedented this late in an election year.
The pilot who died in crash after releasing skydivers near Niagara Falls has been identified
NEW YORK (AP) — Officials on Sunday released the name of a pilot who died in a skydiving flight after her passengers jumped from the aircraft near the Niagara Falls.
Woman found dead in the water near Sunset Beach: Vancouver police
Investigators were at Vancouver’s Sunset Beach after a woman’s body was found in the water Sunday morning, according to authorities.
Ottawa man waiting nearly a year for car to be fixed at Acura dealership
An Ottawa man says he’s been waiting nearly a year for his car to be repaired after it was damaged during a storm in August.
Canadian musicians struggle to get visas to perform in the U.S., some cancel shows
Backlogs and processing delays of temporary U.S. visas required by entertainers, athletes and artists has forced some Canadian bands to cancel U.S. tour dates because paperwork wasn't processed in time.
Joy in Newfoundland after 'Lucky 7' fishers survive harrowing days lost at sea
There was a powerful word being repeated in the joyful Newfoundland community of New-Wes-Valley on Sunday: 'Miracle.'
A Florida woman was killed 24 years ago. DNA evidence just helped police make an arrest in the cold case
A Florida woman’s brutal killing nearly 25 years ago may finally be solved after authorities arrested the suspect this week, according to the Sanford Police Department.