B.C. COVID-19 Update June 24

There were 273 people with COVID-19 in B.C. hospitals Thursday, a total essentially unchanged from last week.

There were 273 people with COVID-19 in B.C. hospitals Thursday, a total essentially unchanged from last week.

After several weeks of substantial declines in hospitalization numbers, the latest data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control suggests the number of people in hospital with COVID-19 in the province may be stabilizing.

The BCCDC includes both those who have severe cases of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization and those who are admitted to hospitals for other reasons and test positive incidentally in its weekly count.

Since the province switched to this "hospital census" model in January, the number of patients in hospital on a Thursday has been as high as 985 and as low as 255.

Included in Thursday's total hospitalizations are 28 COVID-positive people who are receiving critical care.

The numbers of patients in B.C. hospitals and critical care units are the only two data points the BCCDC releases in real time each week.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has predicted that B.C. will see another spike in COVID-19 cases in the fall but said she does not expect to reintroduce public health orders to control the spread when that happens.  

This week, the BCCDC reported 156 new hospital admissions and 26 new deaths from June 12 to 18. The BCCDC expects both of those numbers to increase, however, "as data become more complete."