Data from the B.C. government shows that the number of those with severe illnesses due to COVID-19 continues to fall.
There are now 224 people hospitalized in B.C. with that disease, down 22 from yesterday, to a low not seen since February 22. Of those, 62 people are sick enough to be in intensive care units, which is eight fewer than yesterday, and the lowest total since February 25.
Unfortunately, two more people died from the disease that has prompted a global pandemic. Both of those people were in their 60s, with one who lives in the Fraser Health region, and the other living in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.
There were 199 new cases of COVID-19 identified in the past day, making it the third consecutive day with a new daily case count below 200. The last time that happened was October 18 through 20.
The Fraser Health region remains the province's hot spot for new cases.
By health region, the 199 infections in the past day includes:
• 68 in Vancouver Coastal Health (34%);
• 89 in Fraser Health (44.7%);
• two in Island Health (1%);
• 34 in Interior Health (17%); and
• six in Northern Health (3%).
Of the 144,866 people diagnosed as having COVID-19 in B.C. since January, 2020, more than 97%, or 140,537 people are deemed by the province to have recovered because they are not considered infectious.
Provincial health officer Bonnie Henry said that 71.8% of all B.C. adults have now been vaccinated, and that 68.9% of all British Columbians aged 12 years and older have been vaccinated.
Data provided after Henry's press conference held that the province provided 61,541 doses of vaccine to 40,101 people in the past 24 hours, with a record 21,440 people getting needed second doses.
In total, since the first vaccine dose in B.C. was provided on December 16, health officials have provided 3,426,827 doses of vaccine to 3,197,242 people, with 229,585 of those getting needed second doses.
There remain five outbreaks at seniors' homes, including:
• Brookside Lodge in Surrey;
• Cherington Place in Surrey;
• Heritage Manor in Fort St. John;
• Richmond Lions Manor-Bridgeport in Richmond; and
• Spring Valley Care Centre in Kelowna
The only active outbreak at a B.C. hospital is at Richmond Hospital in Richmond.
