COVID-19 claims 21 more lives, as B.C. reports 36 fewer people in hospital, 8 fewer in the ICU

B.C. health officials reported949 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Wednesday, including 136in intensive care,as the province recorded 21 more deaths from the disease and 2,086 new cases.

The new numbers represent 36 fewer patients hospitalized with COVID-19 within the last 24 hours, as well aseightfewerin the ICU.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are upby six per cent from last Wednesday, when 895people were in hospital with the disease.

Due to a data reporting change introducedJan. 14,month to monthhospitalization comparisons won't be available again until Feb. 14.

The number of patients in intensive care is up by about 18 per cent from 115a week ago and upby 106 per cent from a month ago when 66people were in the ICU.

Experts say hospitalizations area more accurate barometer of the disease's impact,as new case numbersin B.C. arelikely much higherthan reported, now that the province has hitits testing limit because of the Omicron surge.

As ofWednesday, 22.4 per cent of COVID-19 tests in B.C. are coming back positive, according to the province's COVID-19 dashboard.

As of Thursday, the COVID-19 testing site at the UBC Life Sciences Centre will be closed. Vancouver Coastal Health says that particularsite was established as a temporary testing location in Decemberto support other Vancouver-based sites.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said thatanything above a five per cent test-positivity rateindicates a concerning level of community transmission.

There are currently 30,058 recorded active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

The provincialdeath toll from COVID-19is now 2,575 lives lost out of 316,873 confirmed cases to date.

There area total of 61 active outbreaks in assisted living, long-term, and acute care facilities.

Acute care outbreaksinclude:

• Surrey Memorial Hospital.
• Abbotsford Regional Hospital.
• Langley Memorial Hospital.
• Burnaby Hospital.
• Peace Arch Hospital.
• Kelowna General Hospital.
• Royal Jubilee Hospital.
• Victoria General Hospital.

As of Wednesday,89.7per cent of those five and older in B.C. hadreceived their first dose of aCOVID-19 vaccineand 83.6 per cent asecond dose.

From Jan. 18to 24, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 28.2per cent of cases and from Jan. 11 to 24,they accounted for 29.9 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

A total of two million people have received a booster shot to date.

Rapid tests for child-care centres

Staff in government-funded child-care centres are soon expected to have access to rapid antigen tests provided by the
province.

The Children's Ministry says up to 250,000 tests will be sent to government-funded child-care facilities throughout the province for use by employees with symptoms of COVID-19.

Vaccine card program extended

B.C.'s vaccine card program to access non-essential indoor spaces, including restaurants, barsand gyms, has been extended until June 30.

The program,which first came into effecton Sept. 13, 2021,was set to expire on Jan. 31. At least one dose of vaccine was requiredto access non-essential settingsuntil Oct. 24, when a second dosewas also required.

The system, whichappliesto all those over 12 seeking to access those settings, works viaa QR code that, when scanned, shows the user's proof of vaccination.

Henry announced the program's extensionon Tuesday, saying that cases are declining in the community but hospitalizations continue to rise amid the fifth wave of the pandemic.

"The vaccine card program is specifically designed to address and mitigate those risks that allow us to keep certain businesses and activities open,"Henry said.

"As we move through this period, it will, I expect, no longer be necessary. But right now, it is one of those important tools that we have," she added.

Henry also announced that youth sports tournaments willresume on Feb. 1 as more children in the province are vaccinated.