BC health officials release their weekly update on the latest hospitalizations, deaths and new cases.
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The BC Health Ministry has reported a decrease in the number of people with COVID-19, an indication that the latest wave of the Omicron variant might have peaked.
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On Thursday, 473 people were in hospital with the virus, down from 540 a week earlier and the lowest level since mid-April when cases began to climb past 500. Out of the current cases, 42 are in intensive care.
According to the latest weekly report by the BC Center for Disease Controlthere were 1,358 new infections from May 15 to 21, a 17 per cent dip from the previous week, but these numbers likely do not capture the full extent of cases in the community due to limited PCR testing.
During this period, 282 people were admitted to hospital, down from the previous week’s 388.
In its most recent report on May 18the independent BC COVID-19 Modeling Group said the data suggests COVID-19 infections are declining and that the second Omicron wave shows signs of having peaked.
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While this second Omicron wave shows signs of having peaked, hospital occupancy and cases are still higher than any previous time in the pandemic prior to Omicron, said the group.
BC’s death toll from COVID-19 stands at 3,469, including 42 reported from May 15 to 21.
Out of the total deaths, 467 occurred after April 2 when the provincial government started reporting deaths using 30-day all-cause mortality, which counts deaths from any cause within 30 days of a COVID-19 positive lab result.
BC’s total COVID-19 cases stand at 370,559.
The BCCDC said its numbers may change as its data is updated over time.
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