The number of COVID-19 cases in British Columbia hospitals climbed by more than 50 this week, as officials reported a continued upward trend in admissions.
As of July 14 there were 426 cases in hospital, up 57 from last Thursday, and 34 cases in ICU, a decrease of two, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
The update comes as independent experts warn that the province is firmly in the grips of a third Omicron variant wave, driven by the highly-transmissible BA.5 subvariant.
The BCCDC also reported 973 cases for the week ending July 9 (up 208 over the previous week), however, restricted PCR testing means that figure is likely a significant underestimation.
Just over 12,100 tests were performed the week ending July 9, and the provincewide test positivity rate jumped to 10.9 per cent, up from 7.5 per cent the week prior.
Hospital admissions for the week ending July 9 also rose for the third consecutive week, after dropping for five consecutive weeks.
The latest report counted 211 hospital admissions, 39 more than what was initially reported last Thursday. However, weekly admissions have been consistently revised upward significantly the following week. For context, The number of admissions between June 26 and July was 172, but that has now been revised up by 27.9 per cent to 220.
The latest report also documents 22 deaths between July 3 and July 9, however that figure is also preliminary and is likely to see upward revision.
Last Thursday, the 24 deaths reported by BCCDC between June 26 and July 2 have since been revised upward by 41.6 per cent to 34 fatalities.
The way the BCCDC now tracks deaths, known as “all cause mortality,” counts any death in the reporting period among people who tested positive for the virus in the 30 days prior.
Officials say this likely overcounts COVID-19 fatalities. According to the BCCDC, about 44 per cent of deaths reported under the “all cause mortality” model between April 9 and June 4 were actually caused by the virus.
That figure too, however, is expected to see future revision upward.
Last week, B.C. health officials recommended British Columbians, and particularly elders and people with underlying health conditions, book a fourth dose of vaccine this fall.
Others have urged people to get boosted sooner. The independent B.C. COVID-19 modelling group, made up of specialist academics from several post-secondary institutions, has forecast the province will see the peak of the latest wave at some point in August.
UBC mathematical biologist and panel member Sarah Otto urged people to return to wearing masks indoors, and to seek a booster now, if they feel they need one.
“Anybody with any health concerns should absolutely be getting boosted if they’re eligible and can get one right now,” she told Global News Tuesday.
“Our next wave is not going to be a fall wave. It’s going to be a summer wave.”