The recent trend of fewer people in B.C. being hospitalized with COVID-19 complications continued on February 5, with the province now having 253 individuals in those institutions – four fewer than yesterday, and an 11-week low.
Of those hospitalized, 70 people are in intensive care units. That is in the range seen in the past couple weeks.
Unfortunately, six more people have died from the virus that spawned a global pandemic, raising the province's COVID-19 death toll to 1,246.
More than 89.7%, or 62,567 people, of the 69,716 people infected since the virus was first detected in B.C. on January 28, 2020, have recovered.
There are 4,423 people actively battling infections, with the vast majority of those told to self-isolate at home.
Health officials are monitoring 6,886 people for symptoms because those individuals have had known contact with people who are known to have been infected. That is the lowest number of people being monitored in more than a week.
Here is the breakdown of where the 471 new cases, detected in the past day, are located:
• 108 people in Vancouver Coastal Health (22.9%);
• 208 people in Fraser Health (44.1%);
• 28 in Island Health (5.9%);
• 56 in Interior Health (11.9%); and
• 71 in Northern Health (15%).
The data comes hours after the province on social gatherings and events.
"Between now and the end of the month, we will be continually reconsidering the need for the restrictions based on incidence and prevalence of the virus, new information about transmission, especially understanding the impact of variants, and the progress of vaccine supply and our immunization program," provincial health officer Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a joint statement.
The nine hospitals in B.C. with active outbreaks include:
• Burnaby General Hospital in Burnaby;
• Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake;
• Mount St. Joseph's Hospital in Vancouver;
• Nanaimo Regional General Hospital in Nanaimo;
• Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster;
• Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops;
• St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver;
• Surrey Memorial Hospital in Surrey; and
• University Hospital of Northern B.C. in Prince George.
COVID-19 outbreaks remain at 24 seniors' care homes, assisted-living facilities and retirement residences across the province.
The three active outbreaks at seniors' living facilities in Vancouver Coastal Health are at:
• Hilltop House in Squamish,
• Minoru Residence in Richmond; and
• Holy Family long-term care centre in Vancouver.
There are 13 active outbreaks at seniors' living facilities in Fraser Health. They are at:
• Bradley Centre in Chilliwack;
• Concord By the Sea in White Rock;
• CareLife Fleetwood in Surrey;
• Eagle Ridge Manor in Port Moody;
• Evergreen Baptist Care Society in White Rock;
• George Derby Centre in Burnaby;
• Glenwood Seniors Community in Agassiz;
• Hilton Villa Seniors Community in Surrey;
• Madison Care Centre in Coquitlam;
• Mountain View Manor in Ladner;
• Royal City Manor in New Westminster;
• St. Michael's Centre Extended Care in Burnaby; and
• Suncreek Village in Surrey.
The two active outbreaks at a seniors' living facilities in Northern Health are at Jubilee Lodge in Prince George, and Acropolis Manor in Prince Rupert.
The six active outbreaks at seniors' living facilities in Interior Health are at:
• Brocklehurst Gemstone Care Centre in Kamloops;
• Creekside Landing in Vernon;
• Heritage Square in Vernon;
• Noric House in Vernon;
• Sunnybank Retirement Home in Oliver; and
• Westsyde Care Residences in Kamloops.
There are no outbreaks at seniors' facilities in Island Health.
