Hospitalizations down by 35 as B.C. reports 6 fewer in the ICU and 11 more deaths over 3 days

B.C. health officials reported 449 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Monday, including 63 in intensive care, as the province recorded 11 more deaths from the disease and 997 new cases over the weekend.

The new numbers represent adecreaseof 35 COVID-19 patients hospitalized within the last three days, including sixfewerpatients in the ICU.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by 18.2 per cent from last Monday, when 549people were in hospital with the disease and down about 54.5per cent from a month ago when 987people were in hospital.

Deaths also lag cases, with higher numbersa reflection of Omicron's January surge.

The number of patients in intensive care is down by about a quarter from 85a week ago and down by 55.3 per cent from a month ago when 141people were in the ICU.

As ofMonday, 7.8 per cent of COVID-19 tests in B.C. are coming back positive, according to the province's COVID-19 dashboard.The number had been above 20 per cent though most of January but began to fall in February, along with hospitalizations.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said thatanything above a five per cent test-positivity rateis an indicator of community transmission.

The provincial death toll from COVID-19 is now 2,914 lives lost out of 350,941 confirmed cases to date. The province noted in a statement that the number of cases was provisional due to a delayed data refresh.

There area total of 17 active outbreaks in assisted living, long-term, and acute care facilities, with three outbreaks declared over by the province.

As of Monday,90.7 per cent of those five and older in B.C. hadreceived their first dose of aCOVID-19 vaccineand 86.5 per cent asecond dose.

From Feb. 25 to Mar. 3, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 19.1 per cent of cases and from Feb. 18 to Mar. 3,they accounted for 31.9 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

A total of 2.6 million people have received a booster shot to date.

Free rapid tests now available for over-60s

StartingMonday, people aged 60 and older can pick up free rapid antigen test kits from community pharmacies.

Eligible people can pick up one kit containing five tests every 28 days from one of the pharmacies listed here. You must provide your personal health number when picking up a kit.

The free tests have been available to those aged over 70 since Feb. 25. The province says kits for people under the age of 60 will be available "soon."

In a statement on Friday, the province said it is expecting to receive an additional ninemillion tests from the federal government, which it aims to distribute to members of the broader community.

• More information on the rapid testscan be found here.

Photographer turns mask litterinto art

A fine art photographer is shedding light on theissues ofwaste fromthe pandemic and the climate emergency byusing disposable masks she picked up off the streets as the subject of her new exhibit.

"My actual show is more about just bringing the two 'pandemics'together.I want people to be aware of COVID-19 along with the state of the environment and I wanted to express it this way," Michelle Leone Huisman said onCBC'sThe Early Edition.

According to a2020studypublished in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, humans around the globe are using approximately 129 billion disposable face masks and 65 billion plastic gloves every month.

Her photos are featured in her exhibit, Global Pandemic, which is on display and open to the public for freeat Regent College'sDal Schindell Gallery, nearthe University of B.C. campus,until April 10.