Number hospitalized with COVID-19 in B.C. hits highest level since March
![BCCDC entrance The exterior of the B.C. Centre for Disease Control office in Vancouver is seen in this photo from the centre's website. (bccdc.ca)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2023/6/9/bccdc-entrance-1-6435144-1686348204479.png)
The number of COVID-19-positive patients in B.C. hospitals surged by 67 per cent during the month of May, according to data released by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control on Thursday.
The centre's first update since May 2 shows 162 test-positive patients in B.C. hospitals, up from just 97 in the previous release.
The latest hospitalization total is the highest the BCCDC has reported since March 14, when there were 163 people hospitalized with the disease.
The number of patients in hospital with COVID-19 in B.C. Centre for Disease Control updates in 2024 is shown. (CTV News)
The data is also a notable shift from last June, when the number of COVID-positive patients in B.C. hospitals was plummeting.
The BCCDC reported 268 people in hospital with COVID at the start of May 2023, and 146 at the start of June 2023, a drop of roughly 46 per cent, compared to this year's increase.
Of course, COVID hospitalization totals were generally higher throughout the year last year than they have been so far in 2024.
The number of patients reported in hospital with COVID-19 in B.C. Centre for Disease Control updates during 2023 is shown. (CTV News)
While the BCCDC has switched to monthly reporting of COVID-19 hospitalization and testing numbers over the summer, it continues to publish wastewater surveillance data on a weekly basis.
Wastewater data has shown increasing concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 in recent weeks, but the BCCDC says in Thursday's update that "severity indicators have stabilized, following an increase in early May."
Similarly, the data released Thursday shows the number of new infections confirmed through lab-based testing during the first full week of May was 390, but it dropped to 310 in the most recent week, which ended June 1.
The percentage of tests coming back positive rose to 13.2 per cent at the start of the month, but had dropped to 11.1 per cent as of last week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6940954.1719356980!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Smith tells Trudeau Alberta will opt out of federal dental plan
Alberta is opting out of the federal dental plan, the premier told the Canadian government late Tuesday afternoon.
One of Canada's most popular vehicles recalled over transmission issue; 95,000 impacted
One of the country's most popular vehicles is being recalled in Canada due to a transmission issue that may impact tens of thousands of drivers.
WikiLeaks' Assange pleads guilty in deal with U.S. that secures his freedom, ends legal fight
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has pleaded guilty to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors that secures his liberty and concludes a drawn-out legal saga that raised divisive questions about press freedom and national security.
'We need to regroup,' says Liberal minister and Ontario campaign co-chair in light of byelection loss
A member of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet and the party's Ontario co-chair for the next campaign says the Liberals 'need to regroup' after a shocking overnight byelection loss to Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives.
Pre-med students can't take MCAT in Quebec because of Bill 96
Areeba Ahmed says she's always dreamed of becoming a surgeon but her road to the operating room has become a complicated one ever since Quebec's French language law came into effect.
Protesters try to topple Queen Victoria statue near pro-Palestinian encampment in Montreal
Montreal police were called to intervene after protesters attempted to tear down the Queen Victoria statue at Victoria Square.
Cup Noodles serves up notoriously poisonous pufferfish
Pufferfish is regarded as a luxury in Japan and a meal featuring the potentially poisonous delicacy can easily cost up to 20,000 yen (US$125) at high-end restaurants.
'Truly a great British Columbian': Former B.C. premier John Horgan has cancer again
Former B.C. premier and current Canadian ambassador to Germany John Horgan has been diagnosed with cancer for a third time.
New experience in Halifax gets people up close and personal to the ocean's most feared predator
Atlantic Shark Expeditions launched a new shark cage experience which gives brave attendees a chance to get up close and personal with the oceans most feared predator.