Island Health reported 59 new COVID-19 cases on Friday for a total of 572 active cases — well below the 717 cases seen a week ago.
B.C. reported a total of 667 new cases on Friday, bringing the number of people currently sick with COVID-19 to 5,128. There are 367 people in hospital, including 152 in intensive care.
There have been 196,433 known cases in B.C. since the pandemic began in 2020 and 2,055 confirmed deaths.
The Fraser Health region has the highest number of active cases, with 2,221, followed by Interior Health at 817, Northern Health with 734, and Vancouver Coastal at 72.
Enhanced regional pandemic restrictions are in place in parts of Northern Health, Interior Health and Fraser Health.
The province also reported 13 additional deaths on Friday. Eleven were in Fraser Health, where an outbreak at Willingdon Care Centre now involves more than 90 residents and staff.
Health Minister Adrian Dix indicated Thursday a significant number of people had died at Willingdon — as many as 10 following a delay in reporting of that data. The remaining two deaths were in Interior Health.
There are 19 outbreaks in B.C. long-term care, assisted living and health care facilities, including Tofino General Hospital.
From Oct. 7 to 13, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 76.3 per cent of hospitalizations for COVID-19.
Between Sept. 1 and Oct. 15, 61 critically ill patients were transferred out of Northern Health, where critical care beds in hospitals are at capacity. Thirty-six people were moved to hospitals in Island Health.
At least 45 of the 61 critically ill patients moved from Northern Health had COVID-19, and all but one were unvaccinated.
As of Friday, 83 per cent of people age 12 and older in B.C. are fully vaccinated.
A Pfizer vaccine for children ages five to 11 will be reviewed by Health Canada in the hopes of approval as early as next month. Pre-registration is available on the province’s Get Vaccinated website at getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca or by calling 1-833-838-2323. Appointments won’t be scheduled until the lvaccine is approved.
ceharnett@timescolonist.com
