COVID-19 claims 32 more lives over the weekend as B.C. reports 41 more people in hospital

B.C. health officials reported 987 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Monday, including 141 in intensive care, as the province recorded 32 more deaths from the disease and 3,287 new cases over the past three days.

The number of deaths recorded on Monday is the highest number for a weekend in more than a year. The provincial death toll from COVID-19 is now 2,707 lives lost out of 333,925 confirmed cases to date.

The new numbers represent an increase of 41 COVID-19 patients hospitalized since Friday, including two more patients in the ICU. However, hospitalizations remain under the more than 1,000 recorded last Monday.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by 5.82 per cent from last Monday, when 1,048 people were in hospital with the disease.

Deaths also lag cases, so the higher numbers are a reflection of Omicron's surge last month.

Due to a data reporting change introduced Jan. 14, month-to-month hospitalization comparisons won't be available again until Feb. 14.

The number of patients in intensive care is up by two cases from 138 a week ago and up by 56.6 per cent from a month ago when 90 people were in the ICU.

Experts say hospitalizations are a more accurate barometer of the disease's impact, as new case numbers in B.C. are likely much higher than reported, now that the province has hit its testing limit because of the Omicron surge.

There are currently 23,739 recorded active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

There are a total of 57 active outbreaks in assisted living, long-term, and acute care facilities. There were 11 new outbreaks reported by the province on Monday and 12 were declared over.

Acute care outbreaks include:

• Langley Memorial Hospital.
• Queen's Park Care Centre.
• Victoria General Hospital.
• Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
• Cowichan District Hospital.

As of Monday, 90.2 per cent of those five and older in B.C. had received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 84.6 per cent a second dose.

From Jan. 28 to Feb. 3, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 24.8 per cent of cases and from Jan. 21 to Feb. 3, they accounted for 31.9 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

A total of 2.3 million people have received a booster shot to date.

Arrests made during weekend protests

Five arrests were made Saturday as a result of protests and counter protests in Vancouver.

The rally against COVID-19 vaccine and other mandates was among many demonstrations across Canada, a week after a similar protest saw hundreds take to the streets across B.C. Counter protesters showed up this time, in an attempt to block the movement of other protesters.

Vancouver police said that, "while most protesters were peaceful, some had to be arrested for violent behaviour and unlawful conduct."

Five arrests for mischief were related to either the main protest or the counter protest, police said, after officers responded to rocks and eggs being thrown, cars being kicked, and nails being strewn on roadways.