British Columbia reports 329 people in hospital with COVID-19

VICTORIA – British Columbia’s Health Ministry says the number of people in hospital with COVID-19 has dropped by five patients to 329.

The ministry says 37 of those patients were in intensive care.

It says people who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 accounted for 12 per cent of B.C.’s population and 19 per cent of critical care patients who were hospitalized with the illness as of Wednesday.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry told a news conference this week that officials would start providing weekly updates on COVID-19 on Thursdays, when they would report on vaccination rates, hospitalizations and fatalities.

Just over 91 per cent of B.C. residents aged 12 and up have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, while close to 58 per cent have had a third shot.

There were 11 COVID-19 outbreaks at health-care facilities in the province, all but two of which were in long-term care homes.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 6, 2022.