On the first day of fall, B.C. sees fewest people in hospital with COVID-19 in months
The number of people with COVID-19 in B.C. hospitals is the lowest it's been since early July, according to the latest update from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
There were 305 people in hospital with the disease as of Thursday – which is the autumnal equinox and the first official day of fall. Officials have been warning for months that the coronavirus is likely to spread more widely in the fall and winter.
The number of COVID-19 patients in B.C. hospitals on Thursdays since the province switched to a "hospital census" model for counting them in January is shown. (CTV)
The number of patients in hospital reported by the BCCDC each week includes both those with serious cases of COVID-19 requiring medical attention and those who are hospitalized for other reasons and test positive for COVID incidentally.
Since the province began counting hospitalizations using this "hospital census" model, there have been as many as 985 people in hospital with the coronavirus and as few as 255.
For the last several weeks, however, the total has remained between 300 and 400. The last time there were more than 400 COVID-19 patients in B.C. hospitals was Aug. 4, and the last time there were fewer than 300 was June 30.
Though Thursday's total is the lowest in months, it's not a significant departure from the levels of hospitalization that have been seen in the province since the most recent wave of infections subsided.
The coronavirus continues to circulate fairly widely in B.C., with the BCCDC reporting 637 new, lab-confirmed cases in the most recent epidemiological week. That's a slight increase from the previous week, when 574 new cases were reported.
Because the province only counts cases that are confirmed through lab testing – which is unavailable to British Columbians in most circumstances – the official totals are a dramatic undercount of COVID-19 cases province-wide.
Last month, the independent B.C. COVID-19 Modelling Group estimated that there were approximately 100 times as many new infections each week as the BCCDC reported.
If that estimate is correct, there were roughly 63,700 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. from Sept. 11 to 17, or about 9,100 per day.
'FALL BOOSTER' CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY
Whether the slight increase in the official case count – which is mirrored in wastewater surveillance at two of five treatment plants in Metro Vancouver – is the start of an expected fall surge remains to be seen.
Provincial health officials have been planning for such a surge for months, and bivalent vaccines that target the Omicron family of SARS-CoV-2 variants are now being distributed across B.C.
As of Sept. 18, according to the Ministry of Health, B.C. had received 415,000 doses of Moderna's bivalent vaccine, and administered 44,000.
That means the bivalent vaccine likely made up the majority of the 51,885 doses administered in the province during the week of Sept. 11 to 17. Bivalent doses began being administered in pharmacies in the Lower Mainland on Sept. 9, according to the ministry.
The ministry said more than 75,000 fall booster appointments had been booked for this week in its statement to CTV News on Wednesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Body of Quebec man who died in Cuba found in Russia, family confirms
A Montreal-area family confirmed to CTV News that the body of their loved one who died while on vacation in Cuba is being repatriated to Canada after it was mistakenly sent to Russia.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.