COVID-19 hospitalizations in B.C. dip slightly while ICU numbers drop by a 3rd

COVID-19 hospitalizations in B.C. dipped slightly as the number of patients in intensive care dropped by more than a third since the B.C. Centre for Disease Control's last weekly report.

The BCCDCreported 365 people in hospital with the virus Thursday, a decrease of four patients from last week's report, while the number of people in critical care fell from 29 to 19.

In the week leading up to Oct. 8, 25 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 4,370.

That same week, a total of 697 new cases of COVID-19 were reported by B.C. labs, the same number reported the previous week. Case totals are understood to be significant underestimates of the true spread of the disease because most people are now testing themselves at home.

All of the weekly numbers shared by the province are preliminary and are often changed retroactively because of delays in the count and new methods the province is using to calculate weekly cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

For example, last week, the BCCDC reported 19 deaths between Sept. 25 and Oct. 01, but that figure has been revised upward to 36.

Meanwhile, wastewater testing for the week of Sept. 25 to Oct. 1 shows that viral loads measured in most Metro Vancouver wastewater plants are stable.

Health officials have urged British Columbians to sign up for their booster shots when they receive an invitation and to get a flu shot as soon as possible.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix have said B.C. is preparing for a simultaneous increase in COVID-19 and flu cases this fall and winter.