Pressure on B.C.’s health-care system continues to mount as COVID-19 hospitalizations, ICU cases rise ​

In the past 24 hours, 35 more people who tested positive for COVID-19 are in the hospital and there are another 13 people in intensive care.

There are a total of 854 people hospitalized and 112 ICU cases.

B.C. has recorded an additional 1,975 COVID-19 cases for a total of 37,167 active infections. 

The province has hit capacity when it comes to testing, so daily case counts are actually much higher. B.C. has also recently changed the way it tracks COVID patients in the hospital, including everyone who has tested positive regardless of why they were admitted. 

Fraser Health is recording the highest number of infections with 731 and two deaths. 

There are 503 cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, 478 in Interior Health, 88 in Northern Health and 175 in Island Health. 

There have been nine new health-care facility outbreaks at:

• Fraser Health: CareLife Fleetwood, Menno Hospital, Buchanan Lodge, St. Michael’s Centre, Eden Care Centre
• Interior Health: Village at Smith Creek 
• Island Health: Veterans Memorial Lodge, Sunset Lodge and Sidney Care Home 

The outbreaks at Eagle Ridge Hospital, The Oxford Senior Care Home, Chartwell Crescent Gardens, AgeCare Harmony Court in Fraser Health and Selkirk Seniors Village and Selkirk Village Assisted Living in Island Health have been declared over. 

There are a total of 53 facilities with ongoing outbreaks, including:

Long-term care:

• Fraser Health: New Vista Care Centre, Chartwell Langley Gardens, Chartwell Carlton Gardens, George Derby Centre, CareLife Fleetwood, Evergreen Baptist Care Society, Hilton Villa Seniors Community, Kinsmen Lodge, Kiwanis Care Centre, Peace Arch Hospital Foundation Lodge, Morgan Place, Maple Ridge Seniors Village, Amica White Rock, Mayfair Senior Living + Care, MSA Manor, Menno Hospital, Buchanan Lodge, St. Michael’s Centre, Eden Care Centre 
• Vancouver Costal Health: Kopernik Lodge, St. Vincent’s Langara
• Interior Health: Mount Cartier Court, Sun Pointe Village, Lakeview Lodge, Hamlets in Vernon, Brocklehurst Gemstone, Heritage Square, Village at Smith Creek 
• Island Health: Amica Douglas House, Eden Gardens, Glenwarren Lodge, Kiwanis Village Lodge, Clover Point Care, Saanich Peninsula Hospital – long-term care, Oyster Harbour, Dufferin Place, Beacon Hill Villa, Salvation Army Sunset Lodge, James Bay Care Centre, The Heights at Mt. View, Luther Court, Veterans Memorial Lodge, Sunset Lodge and Sidney Care Home 

Acute care:

• Fraser Health: Surrey Memorial Hospital, Abbotsford Regional Hospital, Langley Memorial Hospital, Laurel Place, Burnaby Hospital, Peace Arch Hospital, CareLife Fleetwood 
• Interior Health: Kelowna General Hospital 
• Island Health: Royal Jubilee Hospital 

More than 300 elective surgeries have been postponed due to staffing shortages brought on by COVID-19, recent weather events, and seasonal illnesses, according to new data provided by Lower Mainland health authorities

Vancouver Coastal Health has postponed 154 non-urgent, elective surgeries in the past month, while Fraser Health has rescheduled 128 of those procedures over the same period.

Both health authorities report struggles to retain full staffing citing “the current Omicron variant, seasonal illnesses, recent snow days and the COVID-19 global pandemic.”

“Health care workers have been on the front lines of care throughout the pandemic now for two years and are experiencing exhaustion and the same illness as the rest of the population,” the health authorities wrote in a release Tuesday.

They say beyond surgery delays, the impacts will be felt most in rural areas and in specialized programs. Fraser Health has seen a small number of home support visits rescheduled.

While health-care services remained pushed to their near limits, the health authorities are not discouraging anyone from accessing urgent or emergency care. However, potential patients are asked to consider whether a hospital visit is necessary and use their emergency room wisely. 

Demand for COVID-19 testing remains high, and to preserve testing capacity for those at higher risk of severe illness or spreading the virus, the health authorities say testing is not required for those who have mild symptoms and are fully vaccinated.

Tuesday’s update comes after Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced gyms would be allowed to reopen, imposing limits on capacity,.

Read More: B.C. gyms to gradually reopen, other business COVID restrictions extended

She said other restrictions put in place in December  of 2021will remain in effect until Feb. 16 — including the closure of bars and nightclubs and 50 per cent capacity limits on restaurants, theatres, and stadiums.

Henry says those restrictions are still necessary due to the high rates of transmission of COVID-19 and the number of people needing hospital care.

– With files from The Canadian Press