B.C. reports 891 people in hospital with COVID-19 and 15 more deaths

B.C. health officials reported 891people in hospital with COVID-19 on Thursday, including 119in intensive care,as the province recorded 15more deaths from the disease and 2,150new cases.

The new numbers represent adecreaseof fourCOVID-19 patients hospitalized within the last 24 hours, but an increase of four patients in the ICU.

Due to a data reporting change introduced Jan. 14,week-to-week hospitalization comparisons won't be available again until Friday.

The number of patients in intensive care is upby about 15per cent from 102a week ago and upby about 35per cent from a month ago when 77people 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.

There are currently 34,835recorded active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

The provincialdeath toll from COVID-19is now 2,520 out of 305,715 confirmed cases to date.

There area total of 58active outbreaks in assisted living, long-term, and acute care facilities.

Acute care outbreaksinclude:

• Surrey Memorial Hospital
• Abbotsford Regional Hospital
• Langley Memorial Hospital
• Laurel Place
• Burnaby Hospital
• Peace Arch Hospital
• CareLife Fleetwood
• Queen's Park Care Centre
• Kelowna General Hospital
• Royal Jubilee Hospital (Island Health)

As of Thursday,89.4per cent of those five and older in B.C. hadreceived their first dose of aCOVID-19 vaccineand 83.5per cent asecond dose.

A total of 1,700,206 people have received a booster shot to date.

From January 12 to 18, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 27per cent of cases and from January 5 to 18,they accounted for 31per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

In the Northern Health region,restrictions that have been in place insince Dec. 24 have now been repealed, according to the health authority, to align with current provincial restrictions.

Rapid tests for school staff

The province says 200,000 rapid antigen test kits are being shipped to school districts, independent schools and First Nation schoolsacross B.C. this week for staff, including teachers and administrators.

The number of tests each district receives will depend on staffing levels.

"Rapid antigen tests are an additional tool that can be used to support the continuity of learning in schools with the aim to reduce transmission of COVID-19," the Ministry of Education said in a release.

The ministry says there are around 103,700 staff working in public, private and First Nation schools.

B.C. hospitals strained from Omicron

The strain on British Columbia's hospitals from the Omicron variant is growing, with 95 per cent of B.C.'s hospital beds currently occupied. Health experts warn the impact of the variant will be felt for months.

"The impact is clear on our health system," saidDr. Srinivas Murthy, a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at the University of B.C.'s Faculty of Medicine. "It's going to continue to have this impact for months to come."

On Tuesday,theprovinceannounced more postponed surgeries, reduced ambulatory care services, andhealth-care staff redeployedto emergency wards in some regions.

B.C. Nurses' Union President Aman Grewal said Thursday the increasing number of hospitalizations highlights the "severe staffing crisis" among nurses.

"That is increasing the workload of an understaffed system that is already exhausted two years into this pandemic," Grewal said in an interview with CBC'sThe Early Edition.