The strain on B.C.'s healthcare system continues to get worse amid record numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions.
In an on-camera briefing this afternoon (April 22), Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said preliminary numbers show 1,006 more tests came back positive for the virus across B.C. during the past 24 hours for a new grand total of 122,757.
Of those infections, Northern Health added 42, raising the authority total to 6,937 since March 2020.
There have been four new COVID-linked deaths, which brings the province's toll to 1,550.
There are 502 people in hospital, 161 of which are admitted in ICU or critical care. Both numbers are once again record totals to date.
Hospitalizations are getting worse: B.C. has surpassed 500 people hospitalized for the first time during the pandemic with 502 currently in hospital, 161 in ICU (new record). #bcpoli #covidbc #covid19bc #covid19 #bced #cdnpoli #cityofpg
— Jess Balzer (@jessicajbalzer) April 22, 2021
Prince George appears to be on a decline in terms of positive infections, per the latest BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) data on Geographic Distribution of COVID-19 by Local Health Area.
From April 11-17, 2021, the northern capital's area recorded 46 cases, which is just more than half of the 70 accumulated in the previous week.
The north, as a whole, isn't without its struggles. Peace River North and Peace River South is seeing rapid transmission, as well as a flurry of school exposure alerts.
Peace River North saw 61 cases from April 11-17, 2021, while 76 were detected in Peace River South during the same timeframe.
With school exposure notices piling up, an up-to-date list of northern B.C. schools marked for COVID-19 exposure events in the month of April is as follows:
- Fort St. James Secondary (SD91) - April 14-16, 2021
- North Peace Secondary (SD60) - April 15-16, 2021
- Doctor Kearney Middle (SD60) - April 15-16, 2021
- Mountain Christian School Society (Independent) - April 16, 2021
- Buckhorn Elementary (SD57) - April 12, 2021
- Cassie Hall Elementary (SD82) - April 5-6, 12-16, 2021
- Thornhill Primary School (SD82) - April 13-15, 2021
- Thornhill Elementary (SD82) - April 13-15, 2021
- Doctor Kearney Middle (SD60) - April 14, 2021
- North Peace Secondary (SD60) - April 14, 2021
- Mountain Christian School Society (Independent, Dawson Creek) - April 13-15, 2021
- North Peace Secondary (SD60) - April 8-9, 13, 2021
- Freedom Thinkers Education (Independent, Fort St. John) - April 12-13, 2021
- Duncan Cran Elementary (SD60) - April 7-9, 12-13, 2021
- Bert Bowes Middle (SD60) - April 8-9, 13, 2021
- Doctor Kearney Middle (SD60) - April 8-9, 2021
- R.L. Angus Elementary (SD81) - April 12-13, 2021
- Energetic Learning Campus (SD60) - April 14-15, 2021
- Buckhorn Elementary (SD57) - April 13-15, 2021
- Duncan Cran Elementary (SD60) - April 6-8, 12-14, 2021
- Evelyn Dickson Elementary (SD91) - April 9, 2021
- Chetwynd Secondary (SD59) - April 12, 2021
- Morfee Elementary (SD57) - April 3-5, 2021
- Prince George Secondary (SD57) - April 7, 12-16, 2021
- Energetic Learning Campus, Fort St. John (SD60) - April 12-13, 2021
- Hudson's Hope Elementary and Junior Secondary (SD60) - April 12, 2021
- Doctor Kearney Middle (SD60) - April 12-13, 2021
- North Peace Secondary (SD60) - April 12-13, 2021
- Tremblay Elementary (SD59) - April 7-9, 2021
- College Heights Secondary (SD57) - April 12-13, 2021
- École Frank Ross Elementary (SD59) - April 6-9, 2021
- Houston Christian School (Independent) - April 7-9, April 12-13, 2021
- Notre Dame Catholic School (Independent) - April 7, 2021
- Twain Sullivan Elementary (SD54) - April 7-9, April 12-13, 2021
- Houston Secondary (SD54) - April 7-9, 12-13, 2021
- Sliverthorne Elementary (SD54) - April 7-9, April 12-13, 2021
- Energetic Learning Campus (SD60) - April 8-9, 2021
- Dawson Creek Secondary, South Peace Campus (SD59) - March 30-April 1, 2021
- École Mountain View Elementary (SD82) - April 6, 2021
- École Frank Ross Elementary (SD59) - March 30 - April 2, 2021
- Tremblay Elementary (SD59) - March 30-April 1, 2021
- École College Heights Elementary (SD57) - April 6-8, 2021
- St. Anthony's Catholic School, Kitimat (Independent) - April 6, 2021
- Dawson Creek Secondary, South Peace Campus (SD59) - March 29-April 1, 2021
- Notre Dame Catholic School (Independent) - March 29-April 1, 2021
- Sacred Heart Elementary (Diocese of Prince George) - April 6, 2021
- Kispiox Community School (Independent) - April 6, 2021
- Mountain Christian School Society (Independent) - April 6, 2021
- Prince George Secondary (SD57) - April 6, 2021
- Canalta Elementary (SD59) - April 6, 2021
- C.M. Finch Elementary (SD60) - March 30-April 1, 2021
- Duchess Park Secondary (SD57) - April 6, 2021
- Kersley Elementary (SD28) - April 6-8, 2021
- Dawson Creek Secondary, South Peace Campus (SD59) - March 31-April 1, 2021
