COVID-19: 6 deaths, 379 new cases in B.C. as hospitalizations fall again

COVID-19 hospitalizations in B.C. continued to trend downward on Wednesday, as the province reported six more deaths and 379 new cases.

The update left the B.C.’s seven-day average for new cases unchanged at 346, while there were 2,874 cases provincewide.

2:20 COVID-19: At least 5 Omicron cases confirmed in B.C.

Of the new cases, 104 were in the Fraser Health region, 64 were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 94 were in the Interior Health region, 49 were in the Northern Health region and 65 were in the Island health region. Three new cases were in people who live outside of Canada.

Officials reported 224 active cases in hospital, an overnight decrease of 18, including 77 patients in critical or intensive care.

More than 4.27 million British Columbians, accounting for 85.8 per cent of those eligible and 83 per cent of B.C.’s population, have had at least one dose.

Of them, more than 4.09 million people, 82.1 per cent of those eligible and 79.4 per cent of B.C.’s population, have had two doses.

The province says people who weren’t fully vaccinated accounted for 59 per cent of new cases over the past week and 67.5 per cent of hospitalizations over the past two weeks.

On Tuesday, officials said the number of confirmed cases involving the Omicron variant had climbed to five, but that none had been hospitalized to date.

Since the start of the pandemic, B.C. has reported 221,235 total cases, while 2,369 people have died.