COVID-19 numbers spike in BC but no more cases of new variant detected

VANCOUVER – British Columbia is experiencing a spike in COVID-19 numbers, with cases, test positivity, hospitalizations and deaths all up in recent weeks.

The BC Centre for Disease Control says in a monthly report that 447 people tested positive in tests funded by the province's medical services plan in the week ending Sept. 2, more than triple the 133 cases in the week ending Aug. 12.

Positivity doubled to about 18 per cent in the same period.

The increase in COVID-19 numbers comes after the detection of Canada's first known case of the BA. 2.86 variant last month in B.C., but the centre says that remains the province's only known case of the new strain.

On Sept. 7, a total of 241 people with COVID-19 were in hospital across the province, with weekly admissions spiking from 95 in the week ending Aug. 12 to 136 two weeks later, before dipping to 119 new cases.

The centre says the number of deaths rose from eight in the first week of the reporting period to 15, then dipped to 12.

Over the past four weeks, four COVID-19 outbreaks were reported in acute care facilities and one outbreak was reported in a long-term care facility.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2023.