Number with COVID-19 in B.C. hospitals rises again as BCCDC tweaks wastewater reporting
The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 in B.C. rose again this week, reaching its highest level since mid-January.
There were 250 test-positive patients in hospitals across the province as of Thursday, still below the 255 that was the lowest total seen in 2022, but well above this year's low of 188.
The number of COVID-19 patients in B.C. hospitals on Thursdays in 2023 is shown. (CTV)The number of COVID-19 patients in B.C. hospitals on Thursdays since the province switched to a "hospital census" model in January 2022 is shown. (CTV)
The hospitalization totals reported by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control every Thursday include both patients who are admitted because of serious cases of COVID-19 and those who are admitted to hospital for other reasons and test positive incidentally.
Health officials estimate that between 40 and 50 per cent of reported hospitalizations are caused by the coronavirus, while the rest are incidental.
Since the BCCDC began including incidental cases in its hospitalization total in January 2022, there have been as many as 985 people in hospital on Thursdays and as few as 188.
CASE DATA
Recent increases in hospitalizations have come alongside increases in other metrics monitored by the BCCDC each week.
On Thursday, the centre reported 405 new, lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the most recent epidemiological week, which ended March 18.
That's an increase of about eight per cent from the 374 reported last week for the period that ended March 11. This week's total is also the highest the BCCDC has reported since Jan. 26, when it announced 408 new cases detected during the week that ended Jan. 21.
Official case counts only tell part of the story, however, as restrictive testing eligibility criteria means only a small fraction of B.C. residents qualify for the kind of test that is included in the BCCDC's weekly updates.
The results of at-home rapid tests are not collected or reported, and experts estimate that the official case count underestimates the number of actual infections in B.C. each week by roughly 100-fold.
WASTEWATER CHANGES
To complement the official case count, the BCCDC also monitors the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater at treatment plants around the province.
For the last several weeks, wastewater data has shown increasing concentrations at all monitored plants in B.C.
While that trend has corresponded with rising trends in other metrics, it's difficult to say how significant the surge in wastewater concentrations has been, because the BCCDC recently changed its approach to testing.
"On Feb. 28, 2023, BCCDC began using a more sensitive test for SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater," reads a statement added to the wastewater reporting page on the BCCDC website last week.
"Increases in the viral signal after this date compared to before it may be due, in part, to this change. Please use caution when comparing data before and after Feb. 28, 2023."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.