COVID-19: 5 more deaths recorded in B.C. as Henry says virus will be with us at least another year

The number of people in hospital and intensive care units in B.C. has dropped Thursday.

There are now 867 people in hospital who have tested positive for COVID-19, which is a decrease of 26 since Wednesday.

In addition, there are five fewer people in the ICUs, bringing that total to 138.

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An additional five people’s deaths have been recorded due to complications with the virus. That total now stands at 2,730 since the start of the pandemic.

There have been 1,318 cases of the virus recorded in the past 24 hours, however, case numbers are no longer an accurate reflection of the virus in B.C. due to restrictions in testing.

The total cases recorded in B.C. since the start of the pandemic are now 337,547.

As of Thursday, the B.C. government said it will no longer be providing the active cases in the province or the number of people who have discontinued isolation.

Provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry said Wednesday “active cases and people who have been removed from isolation are no longer accurate and they’re no longer an accurate reflection of what’s happening in the community.”

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This latest COVID-19 update comes as Henry said the virus will be around until at least 2023.

“This is going to be a serious respiratory illness that is with us at least for another year,” Henry said Wednesday at a media briefing.

“We’ll know more by this time next year about its patterns. And we know more in the next few weeks about how we’re going to get through that.”

She said contingency plans need to be in place on how to handle the next respiratory season.

As of Thursday, 90.3 per cent (4,501,768) of eligible people five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 84.9 per cent (4,230,298) have received their second dose.

In addition, 93.1 per cent (4,313,371) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 90.4 per cent (4,190,362) received their second dose and 51.1 per cent (2,366,985) have received a third dose.

Also, 93.4 per cent (4,040,218) of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose, 90.9 per cent (3,929,828) received their second dose and 54 per cent (2,335,461) have received a third dose.