COVID-positive hospitalizations fell by 9.4% in past day

COVID-positive hospitalizations fell by more than nine per cent over the past day.

The provincial government announced 240 new COVID-19 cases, including 66 in the Interior Health region, over the past 24 hours.

Across B.C., there are 298 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 49 are in intensive care.

There were seven new deaths reported in the last 24 hours. None occurred in the Interior.

The new cases include:

• Fraser Health: 47
• Vancouver Coastal Health: 52
• Interior Health: 66
• Northern Health: 34
• Island Health: 41

One new healthcare facility outbreak was declared Thursday on Vancouver Island, and there remains eight active outbreaks across the province. Kamloops' Ponderosa Lodge and Salmon Arm's Hillside Village care homes are the remaining two outbreaks in the Interior.

In the past 24 hours, 5,166 doses of the vaccine were administered in B.C. As of Thursday, 93.4% of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 90.9% received their second dose and 56.8% have received a third dose.

From March 9-15, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 16.5% of cases and from March 2-15, they accounted for 27.6% of hospitalizations.

Past week, cases per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (March 9-15)

• Not vaccinated: 63.0
• Partially vaccinated: 20.4
• Fully vaccinated: 29.8

Past two weeks, cases hospitalized per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (March 2-15)

• Not vaccinated: 30.5
• Partially vaccinated: 15.0
• Fully vaccinated: 6.6

Past week cases (March 9-15) - Total 1,662

• Not vaccinated: 238 (14.3%)
• Partially vaccinated: 37 (2.2%)
• Fully vaccinated: 1,387 (83.5%)

Past two weeks cases hospitalized (March 2-15) - Total 431

• Not vaccinated: 103 (23.9%)
• Partially vaccinated: 16 (3.7%)
• Fully vaccinated: 312 (72.4%)