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B.C.’s COVID-19 infection rate slowing, 28 die over weekend

Intensive care rises to 154, North continues to struggle
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With the South Island COVID-19 vaccination rate near 90%, clinic at the Victoria Conference Centre also taking virus testing appointments, Oct. 6, 2021. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press Media)

B.C. public health teams confirmed 603 new cases of COVID-19 Saturday, 634 Sunday, 468 on Thanksgiving Monday and 385 up to Tuesday, with 28 deaths attributed to COVID-19 over the four days.

Of the 2,090 new cases reported for the four days up to Oct. 12, 292 were in the Northern Health region, and seven of the deaths were recorded there. Fraser Health had 814 of the long weekend total cases, and five deaths. Interior Health saw 404 new cases and eight deaths, Island Health had 292 cases and five deaths, and Vancouver Coastal had 229 new cases and three deaths.

“We know the numbers we have seen over this past weekend have been stable, but they are still very high, and that means again that we have had increasing impact on our hospitals and critical care,” Henry said at a briefing Oct. 12.

“We have been closely monitoring the situation in the north and my public health colleagues and I are very concerned with what we continue to see in many communities across the north. COVID-19 is spreading at a higher than average rate. People are becoming severely ill, even young people.”

RELATED: COVID-19 infection, illness critical in Northern B.C.

RELATED: Vaccines for kids 5 and up could be here in November

As of Oct. 12 there are 357 people in hospital with coronavirus-related conditions, up from 340 on Friday, and 153 in intensive care, up from 137.

There have been two more outbreaks declared in the health care system, at West Shore Laylum care centre in Surrey and Evergreen Manor in White Rock, for a total of 16 active outbreaks in senior and acute-care facilities.

From Oct. 4-10, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 68.1% of cases and from Sept. 27-Oct. 10, they accounted for 73.7% of hospitalizations.

B.C. health authorities continue to operate scheduled appointment and walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics around the province. A full list of clinic locations and hours by region can be found here. Registration and booking appointments in B.C. can be done here, or by calling 1-833-838-2323 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. seven days a week.

New and active cases for Oct. 9-12 by region are:

• 814 new cases in Fraser Health, 2,182 active

• 229 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, 647 active

• 404 new cases in Interior Health, 841 active

• 351 new cases in Northern Health, 833 active

• 292 new cases in Island Health, 622 active


@tomfletcherbc
tfletcher@blackpress.ca

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