Though cases have risen dramatically in the fourth wave, fatalities and hospitalizations remained relatively low. (Gov't of B.C.)
covid-19 update

Active COVID-19 cases in Island Health drop substantially in central Island area

Aug 31, 2021 | 4:28 PM

NANAIMO — The COVID-19 rollercoaster in Island Health continued with a steep drop in active cases.

The number of active fell by 83 on Tuesday, Aug. 31 to 440, while 66 new cases were confirmed. The number of active cases on Monday had hovered near the all-time high in the health authority.

In the central Island region, active cases fell by 49 with only 12 new cases discovered.

Most of the new cases within Island Health were in the southern Island area.

There were two more fatalities in Island Health for a total of 47 lives lost since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The 13 people in hospital with 10 receiving intensive care is unchanged from the day before.

Across the province, 655 new cases were discovered.

There are 6,045 active cases with 187 people in hospital and 103 receiving intensive care.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry told reporters on Tuesday the number of vaccinated people becoming infected with COVID-19 is growing, from five per cent earlier in the fourth wave to 15 per cent as of Aug. 26.

Nearly 90 per cent of hospitalizations, however, occurred in people who are unvaccinated or received only one dose.

Dr. Henry said she doesn’t expect cases to drop despite returning COVID-19 restrictions.

“And slightly increasing hospitalizations over the next month, but not at the rate that we were seeing, our daily maximum during the second and third waves of the pandemic.”

She said transmission rates across B.C. have dropped from 1.5 to one person being affected by someone with COVID-19.

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