COVID-19: B.C. reports 8 more deaths as cases in hospital fall below 500

British Columbia reported another eight COVID-19-related deaths on Friday, as the number of cases in hospital dipped below 500 for the first time since early January.

Health officials reported 484 cases in hospital, down 27 overnight, including 69 in critical or intensive care — a drop of 10.

Officials also confirmed 340 new cases, though daily case counts are no longer viewed as an accurate measure of the virus’ spread due to limits on testing.

The number of outbreaks in health-care facilities fell to 20, 18 of which were in long-term care homes.

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As of Friday, 87.7 per cent of B.C.’s population (90.7 per cent of those eligible) had received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 83.6 per cent of B.C.’s population (86.4 per cent of those eligible) had received two doses and 48.6 per cent of B.C.’s population (58 per cent of those eligible) had received three doses.

People with two or more doses of vaccine accounted for 80.8 per cent of new cases over the past week and 66.9 per cent of cases in hospital over the past two weeks.

Data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control continues to show unvaccinated people at a far higher risk of severe outcomes.

From Jan. 29 to Feb. 25, per 100,000 population, there were 145.2 unvaccinated cases in hospital, 38.7 unvaccinated cases in ICU and 17.7 deaths among the unvaccinated, compared to 47.6 vaccinated (two dose) cases in hospital, 11.6 vaccinated cases in ICU and 7.6 deaths among people with two doses.

Earlier Friday, the Public Health Agency of Canada said Canadians should still consider wearing a mask even though jurisdictions across the country have begun dropping mask mandates.

Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo called mask wearing a “personal choice,” while saying he’d continue to wear one himself once restrictions are lifted.

“Clearly mask-wearing is a well-tested, tried and true personal protective practice,” Njoo said.

British Columbia remains among the last jurisdictions in Canada to eliminate mask mandates, but speculation has been growing that the province will drop the requirement by spring break.

Since the start of the pandemic, B.C. has reported 349,944 total cases, while 2,903 people have died.