COVID-19 hospitalizations growing most in Fraser Health, B.C. data shows
The number of COVID-19 patients in B.C. hospitals Thursday was the highest it's been in more than two months, but not every region of the province has seen its hospital census growing in recent weeks.
According to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, there were 596 test-positive coronavirus patients in the province's hospitals on Thursday, an increase of 46 from the previous week.
That total includes both those hospitalized because of significant illness caused by COVID-19 and those hospitalized for other reasons who tested positive during routine screening.
The lion's share of the increase this week came in the Fraser Health region, where there were 268 coronavirus patients in hospitals, up 39 from the week before.
Two other regional health authorities saw small increases: Vancouver Coastal Health's total increased by seven to 135, while Island Health's increased by six to 73.
The remaining health authorities - Interior Health and Northern Health - saw modest decreases in the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital. Interior Health's census dropped by seven to 96 and Northern Health's dropped by two to 16.
Over the last four weeks, most regions have seen their hospitalization totals fluctuate within a consistent range. Fraser Health is the only region that has seen consistent growth each week, rising from 196 people in hospital on April 22 to 268 this week.
Vancouver Coastal Health surged from 95 people in hospital on April 22 to 155 the following week, but has since declined, and the other three health authorities – which have smaller overall populations – have seen more modest fluctuations, as shown in the graph.
This graph shows the number of patients in hospital in each health authority on Thursdays, beginning April 22, 2022. Data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
In addition to the number of patients currently in hospital, the BCCDC also releases weekly figures on the number of newly admitted patients in each health authority.
Those numbers are preliminary and are expected to grow "as data become more complete," but comparing them to last week's preliminary numbers shows an encouraging trend.
Every health authority saw at least slightly fewer new hospitalizations during the week of May 1 to 7 – for which data was released Thursday – than it did during the preceding week.
New lab-confirmed cases were also down at least slightly from the previous week across all health authorities.
It should be noted that data on new cases reflects only lab-confirmed, lab-probable and epi-linked cases. Under the province's current testing strategy, most people with COVID-19 symptoms do not qualify for a lab-based PCR test, and the results of rapid antigen tests are neither collected nor reported.
Still, declining lab-confirmed case numbers are better than the alternative, and the trend matches that seen in wastewater surveillance in the Lower Mainland over the last two weeks.
As has been the case throughout the pandemic, the largest numbers of new cases were found in larger population centres, with the local health area that includes most of the city of Surrey recording the highest total during the week of May 1 to 7.
That region saw 212 new lab-confirmed infections during the period. The next highest totals were recorded in Greater Victoria (118 new cases), the Tri-Cities (104) and the Central Okanagan (102).
The city of Vancouver also saw a significant number of new cases during the week in question, but it's divided into six separate local health areas. Adding those regions' totals together yields a total of 217 new lab-confirmed cases in the city between May 1 and 7.
While these regions had the largest raw numbers of new cases confirmed during the time period, per-capita rates of new cases were higher elsewhere.
The Lillooet local health area had the highest daily new case rate during the week, with 17 new lab-confirmed infections per 100,000 residents per day. Creston and the Bella Coola Valley had the next highest rates, at 15 per 100,000, according to the BCCDC.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.