B.C. COVID-19 hospitalizations down by 35 Monday

VICTORIA — The province’s Ministry of Health is reporting another downswing in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

According to the latest surveillance report provided Monday (Mar. 7), there are now 449 people in hospital with the virus in B.C., a decrease of 35 from Friday. The total in intensive care is down by six to 63.

Eleven more people have died from COVID-19 in the past 72 hours, including three within Interior Health. B.C. has seen 2,914 COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic arrived.

There were 997 new positive COVID-19 tests reported over the weekend, with 242 in Interior Health.

Of the 17 active healthcare facility outbreaks in B.C., eight are in Interior Health including Ponderosa Lodge and Overlander Residential Care in Kamloops.

• Overlander Residential Care (Kamloops) – 50
• Ponderosa Lodge (Kamloops) — 37
• Hillside Village (Salmon Arm) — 31
• Williams Lake Seniors Village (Williams Lake) — 58
• Fischer Place (100 Mile House) — 38
• Gillis House (Merritt) — 31

These are B.C.’s vaccination rates:

• First dose, five and older — 90.7 per cent
• Second dose, five and older — 86.5 per cent
• Third dose, 12 and older — 56.2 per cent