These B.C. regions saw COVID-19 hospitalizations rise last week, even as the overall total declined
The overall number of COVID-19 patients in B.C. hospitals declined last week, but two health authorities saw their hospitalized populations continue to grow.
Vancouver Coastal Health and Interior Health bucked the overall trend, seeing their hospitalization numbers rise to 123 and 56, respectively, as of Thursday.
This graph shows the number of patients in hospital in each health authority on Thursdays since late April. (CTV)
In each region, the hospitalized population has grown for three straight weeks and has roughly doubled since June 30.
Last week's growth in hospitalizations in those two health authorities was offset by declines everywhere else, however, bringing the overall number down, slightly, to 406 from 426.
Fraser Health – B.C.'s most populous regional health authority – saw the largest numerical drop, going from 157 people in hospital with COVID-19 on July 14 to 134 on Thursday.
The largest percentage drop came in Northern Health, where hospitalizations fell from 26 on July 14 to just eight last week.
Island Health saw a more modest decline, going from 89 people in hospital two weeks ago to 79 as of Thursday.
Hospitalization totals reported by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control each week reflect the total number of patients in hospitals who have tested positive for COVID-19, regardless of whether the disease was the underlying cause of hospitalization.
Since mid-January, when the province switched to this "hospital census" model for counting hospitalizations, there have been as many as 985 coronavirus patients in B.C. hospitals on a Thursday and as few as 255.
The latest data on hospitalizations suggests the current wave of cases in B.C. may be peaking already, and at a lower level than the previous wave. https://bc.ctvnews.ca/latest-b-c-covid-19-data-shows-modest-decline-in-hospital-population-1.5997253
Wastewater surveillance data from Metro Vancouver has also pointed in this direction recently, with slight decreases in coronavirus concentrations across all five of the region's treatment plants reported last week.
Other indicators, however, have continued to rise, with the most recent BCCDC data on new positive tests and new admissions to hospital showing increases during the last epidemiological week.
The province's next COVID-19 data update will be this Thursday, July 28.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women in Winnipeg, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.