There has been only a slight improvement in COVID statistics in B.C. over the past 24 hours.

There are now 290 people in B.C. hospitals with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, down eight from yesterday, according a Ministry of Health news release issued today, March 18.

Of that total, 46 are in intensive care units, down from 49 yesterday.

About half the of people in hospital with a COVID diagnosis were not there because of COVID, but were tested after going to hospital for things like surgery, delivering a baby or being admitted to a mental health unit.

There were six more deaths in the last 24 hours, but none in the Interior Health region, bringing the pandemic total to 2,966.

In the last 24 hours, there were 199 new COVID cases recorded in B.C. with 72 in Interior Health, 52 in Fraser Health, 18 in Vancouver Coastal, 43 on Vancouver Island and 14 in the Northern Health region.

The real number of cases is estimated to be three to four times higher because many people infected with COVID are not getting tested or take rapid tests that are not included in these figures.

The vaccination rate for people over the age of 12 with at least one dose remains unchanged at 93.4%, as does the 90.9% who have at least two doses while the 56.9% who have three doses is up slightly.

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