COVID-19 hospitalizations and critical care numbers increase in B.C.

Overall COVID-19 hospitalizations and the number of patients in critical care bothhave increased since the B.C. Centre for Disease Control's last weekly report, with the latest numbers showing 24 more people in hospital with the disease.

The BCCDC reported 389 people hospitalized with the disease on Thursday, up from 365 a week ago. The province's dashboard showed 21 people in critical care, up from 19 a week ago.

In the week leading up to Oct. 15, 32 new deaths were reported among people who tested positive for the coronavirus within the previous 30 days. That brings the number of deaths potentially linked to the disease to 4,423.

That same week, a total of 628 new cases of COVID-19 were reported by B.C. labs, down from the week before.

However, experts say B.C. under-reports all key COVID metrics, including deaths, and even the BCCDC notes its numbers are subject to revision.

Case totals are believed to be significant underestimates of the true spread of the disease because the BCCDC only counts PCR tests in its report, which are currently inaccessible to the majority of British Columbians.

All the weekly numbers shared by the province are preliminary and are often changed retroactively.

For instance, last week, the province reported 25 deaths and 181 hospital admissions in the week ending on Oct. 8.

Those numbers have now been revised upwards to 44 deaths and 237 admissions, an increase of 76 per cent and 30.93 per cent respectively.

Wastewater testing at five different treatment plants, representing 50 per cent of B.C.'s population, shows that virus levels have remained relatively stable during the week ending Oct. 15.

Health officials have urged British Columbians to sign up for their COVID-19 booster shots when they receive an invitation and to get a flu shot as soon as possible to prevent further hospital admissions and deaths.

Experts are advising residents to wear masks and interact in well-ventilated spaces as the weather gets cooler and people spend more time indoors.