B.C. reported 782 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, including 122 in Island Health.
The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 was 744, including 120 in intensive care. That’s down from last Thursday, when 867 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in B.C., including 138 in intensive care.
Another five COVID-related deaths were reported, for an overall 2,781 since the pandemic began. None of the new deaths were in the Island Health region.
There were no new health-care-facility outbreaks in Island Health on Thursday. Two outbreaks were declared over — James Bay Care Centre and Dufferin Place.
Across the province, there are 32 facilities with ongoing outbreaks, including more than half, 18, in Island Health: Wexford Creek, Sidney Care Home, Eden Gardens, Kiwanis Village Lodge, Salvation Army Sunset Lodge, Sunset Lodge, Amica on the Gorge, Tsawaayuus Rainbow Gardens, Berwick on The Lake, Chemainus Health Care Centre, Selkirk Seniors Village, Sunridge Place, Nanaimo Seniors Village, Sluggett House, Glacier View Lodge, Rest Haven Lodge, Sidney All Care and The Heights at Mt. View.
An annual report by seniors awdvocate Isobel Mackenzie released on Thursday said about a quarter of the population in the Interior and 91原创 Island health regions is over 65, compared with about 16 per cent in the Fraser and Northern health regions.
A COVID outbreak at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital is ongoing.
The highly transmissible Omicron variant infects people who are vaccinated and those who have previously had the disease, although vaccination reduces the chance of severe illness.
Of the 915 people hospitalized with COVID-19 between Feb. 2 and Feb. 15, 628 were fully vaccinated.
Omicron-driven COVID-19 cases disproportionately infect people who are older, especially age 70 and older.
When age is standardized or removed as a factor, those hospitalized per 100,000 population for COVID-19 between Feb. 2 and Feb. 15 include: 67.3 per 100,000 who are not vaccinated, 32.5 partially vaccinated, and 13.4 fully vaccinated.
As of Thursday, 90.5 per cent of people age 12 and older in B.C. are fully vaccinated and 53.6 per cent have received a third dose.
