B.C. continues to battle COVID-19, as is clear from 23 newly recorded cases in the past 24 hours, and one new death, but the good news is that the severity of existing cases shows signs of being on the wane.
The province had only nine COVID-19-infected people in hospitals on July 28, the government announced. That is down from 11 people yesterday, and down from a high within the month of 19 people on July 3. The current hospitalizations include three people in intensive care units, as has been the case since July 20, when four people were being treated in those units. There has not been as few as nine people in hospital with COVID-19-related symptoms since March 17.
B.C. has had a total of 3,523 infections and 194 deaths from the virus that has caused a global pandemic since it arrived in the province in late January.
A total of 253 people continue to battle COVID-19 infections in the province, with most of those self-isolating at home. More than 87.3%, or 3,076 people, have recovered.
"There are no new community outbreaks and public-health teams continue to support the active outbreaks on Haida Gwaii and at Fraser Valley Packers Inc.," B.C.'s provincial health officer Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a July 28 joint statement.
One active outbreak persists at a seniors' long-term care home – Holy Family Hospital. So do two acute care outbreaks: St. Paul's Hospital and Mission Memorial Hospital.
The breakdown of COVID-19 infections by health region is:
• 1,067 in Vancouver Coastal Health (up three);
• 1,815 in Fraser Health (up 15);
• 143 in Island Health (no new cases);
• 358 in Interior Health (up five);
• 80 in Northern Health (no change); and
• 60 people who reside outside Canada (no change).
