B.C. hits 90 per cent first dose vaccine rate for residents five and up

VICTORIA — B.C. hit the 90 per cent milestone for residents aged five and older receiving at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

As of Wednesday (Feb. 2), B.C.’s Ministry of Health reports 90 per cent (4,483,908) for first doses and 84.1 per cent (4,191,488) for second doses for those aged five and older. Additionally, 47 per cent of British Columbians 12 and older (2,178,899) have received a third dose.

COVID-19 hospitalizations in B.C. dipped below 1,000 Wednesday. The province reports 988 patients in hospital, a decreased of 47 since Tuesday. Of those patients, 136 are in intensive care, a slight decrease of three.

Between Jan. 18 and 31, B.C. reported 1,197 COVID-19 hospitalizations. The fully-vaccinated population accounted for 817 of those (68.3 per cent), the unvaccinated 320 (26.7 per cent), and the partially vaccinated 60 (five per cent).

However, per 100,000 population adjusting for age, 81.1 patients were unvaccinated, 48.9 were partially vaccinated and 17.5 were fully vaccinated.

In the past 24 hours, 18 new COVID-19 deaths were reported – one in Interior Health – for a provincial total of 2,643.

There are 1,776 new reported COVID-19 cases for Wednesday, including 602 in Interior Health. Reported active cases decreased to 25,959 (down by 2,343 since Tuesday) in B.C. and 7,664 in Interior Health (down by 285).

No new COVID-19 outbreaks were declared at healthcare facilities. There are 54 active outbreaks in B.C., including Overlander Residential Care and Pine Grove Care Centre in Kamloops and Mount Ida Mews in Salmon Arm.