B.C.'s 7-day average for new COVID-19 cases back above 600 per day with latest update

Vancouver -

Five people died of COVID-19 in the 24-hour period summarized in the latest update from B.C. health officials.

In a written statement, the Ministry of Health said another 560 cases were confirmed in the last day.

The latest numbers pushed the province's seven-day average for new cases back above 600 per day.

Of the 198,939 cases B.C. has recorded since the start of the pandemic, just under 5,000 are still considered active.

There are 146 patients being treated in intensive care out of 382 total hospitalizations.

As is often the case, the largest number of people recently confirmed to have COVID-19 are living in B.C.'s most populous health authority, Fraser Health.

Northern Health, the authority that continues to have the province's highest per-capita rate, added 131 cases in the latest update.

Another 80 were noted in Vancouver Coastal Health, 79 in B.C.'s Interior and 61 in Island Health.

Of the latest deaths, two people were in Fraser, two were in Northern, and one was on Vancouver Island.

Tuesday's update followed the news that 26 people had died of COVID-19 over the weekend. That total brought the province's seven-day average for deaths up to 8.43 per cent, the highest it's been since early February.

Once again, the government's statistics indicated the majority of B.C.'s cases and hospitalizations involved people who are either unvaccinated against COVID-19 or only partially vaccinated.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said on Twitter 88 per cent of those in critical care due to COVID-19 Monday weren't fully vaccinated.

Officials aren't giving this information daily, but he posted Tuesday that of the hospitalizations between Oct. 11 and Oct. 17, 75.5 per cent were not fully vaccinated.

Looking at cases over a two-week period, Oct. 4 to 17, Dix said 67.1 per cent were in people who hadn't had both shots.

On Tuesday, the number of people in hospital with COVID-19 reached a high not seen since mid-May.

And while those not fully vaccinated make up a large portion, the number of people who have had two doses appears to be climbing as well. But experts say to understand what the numbers actually mean, you have to look at more than just the list.

Read more from Monday's coverage on a "skewed" version of reality, addressing questions about whether the vaccine is working. Essentially, the fully vaccinated now make up a vastly higher percentage of the population.

The most recent information available is that 89.2 per cent of all eligible British Columbians have had at least one dose of vaccine, and 83.5 per cent, more than 3.87 million people, have had both.

As the numbers change, so too do provincial restrictions.

Provincial health officer Bonnie Henry announced Tuesday that capacity limits for event venues will soon be lifted. The doctor said this is the next phase of B.C.'s vaccine passport system. 

Also announced Tuesday is that the number of young children catching COVID-19 has decreased significantly in the second month of the school year. Still, Dr. Henry cautioned, children between the ages of five and 11 are being infected at a higher rate than other age groups in the province. 

Tuesday's update also included one new outbreak in a health-care facility to the 23 currently considered active. Elim Village is dealing with its sixth of the pandemic, this time at a building on its Surrey campus known as The Emerald.