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New data suggest that COVID-19 activity in British Columbia continues to decrease, while influenza and RSV are on the rise. This colourized electron microscope image made available by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in November 2022, shows cells, indicated in purple, infected with the omicron strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, orange, isolated from a patient sample, captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Md. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO, NIAID/NIH

Cases of COVID-19 down, influenza and RSV up in BC

Nov 17, 2023 05:11:33

VANCOUVER – New data suggest that COVID-19 activity in British Columbia is trending downward, while influenza and RSV are on the rise.

A weekly update provided Thursday by the BC Centre for Disease Control says COVID-19 cases, new hospitalizations and deaths are all declining from a peak in the first week of October.

It says there were 25 deaths of patients with COVID last week, down from 70 three weeks earlier.

But the number of people in hospital with COVID-19, including new and previous admissions, has risen to 263 as of Thursday.

The CDC says Influenza A is behind a rise in flu activity, accounting for 96 per cent of tested cases this season, while positive test rates for respiratory syncytial virus are also up, particularly among children.

However, it says emergency department visits due to all respiratory diseases remain comparable to or below historical averages.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 17, 2023.