Number of COVID-positive patients in hospital dips slightly after rising for 2 weeks
237 people are in hospital with the disease, down from 240 the week before
After rising for two weeks, the number of patients in British Columbia hospitals with COVID-19 dipped slightly, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control reported Thursday.
The centre's weekly report noted 237 patients in hospital with the virus that causes COVID-19 as of Thursday compared to 240 a week ago. The year began with 356 people in hospital.
Fourteen patients are in critical care, down three from 17 last week.
The BCCDC said trends in severe COVID-19 outcomes — such as new hospital admissions, new critical care admissions, and deaths — have been relatively stable or declining.
The centre reported the week ending Feb. 25 saw 11 deaths within 30 days of the first positive COVID-19 test result compared to 22 the week before.
For the week ending Feb. 25, 405 new cases were reported, bringing the total to 396,472.
Unlike hospitalizations, case totals significantly underestimate the true spread of the disease as the BCCDC only counts PCR tests in its report, which are currently inaccessible to the majority of British Columbians.
The centre described influenza activity as low, and RSV levels remained stable and "similar to the historical average."
It described tests for the virus in wastewater as "relatively stable overall."
Weekly numbers shared by the province are preliminary and are often changed retroactively.