Hospitalizations and cases continue to decrease leading to what many hope will be the end of the pandemic as restrictions finally begin being lifted. There were five new deaths and over 700 cases reported Thursday.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

VICTORIA – Hospitalizations and cases continue to decrease leading to what many hope will be the end of the pandemic as restrictions finally begin being lifted. There were five new deaths and over 700 cases reported Thursday.

As of Thursday, Feb. 17, 90.5% (4,508,740) of eligible people five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 85.5% (4,261,431) have received their second dose.

In addition, 93.1% (4,317,588) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 90.5% (4,196,797) received their second dose and 53.6% (2,482,432) have received a third dose.

Also, 93.5% (4,043,977) of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose, 91.0% (3,935,434) received their second dose and 56.0% (2,421,361) have received a third dose.

B.C. is reporting 782 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 343,064 cases in the province.

The numbers of new and total cases are provisional due to a delayed data refresh.

The new cases include:

* Fraser Health: 226

* Vancouver Coastal Health: 132

* Interior Health: 191

* Northern Health: 111

* Island Health: 122

* People who reside outside of Canada: zero

There are 744 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 120 are in intensive care.

In the past 24 hours, five new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,781.

One reported death has been removed from the total due to a data correction.

The new deaths include:

* Vancouver Coastal Health: three

* Northern Health: two

There have been three new health-care facility outbreaks at Burnaby Hospital (Fraser Health), Mountainview Village and Three Links Manor (Interior Health). The outbreaks at Chartwell Langley Gardens (Fraser Health), Nicola Meadows, Dr. Andrew Pavillion, Village at Smith Creek, Mount Ida Mews (Interior Health), James Bay Care Centre and Dufferin Place (Island Health) have been declared over, for a total of 32 facilities with ongoing outbreaks, including:

* long-term care:
* Good Samaritan Delta View Care Centre (Fraser Health)

* Pinegrove Care Centre, Poplar Ridge, Noric House, Glenmore Lodge, Trinity Care Centre, Ponderosa, Castleview Care Centre, Overlander Residential Care, Mountainview Village, Three Links Manor (Interior Health)

* Wexford Creek, Sidney Care Home, Eden Gardens, Kiwanis Village Lodge, Salvation Army Sunset Lodge, Sunset Lodge, Amica on the Gorge, Tsawaayuus Rainbow Gardens, Berwick on The Lake, Chemainus Health Care Centre, Selkirk Seniors Village, Sunridge Place, Nanaimo Seniors Village, Sluggett House, Glacier View Lodge, Rest Haven Lodge, Sidney All Care and The Heights at Mt. View (Island Health)

* acute care:
* Queen's Park Care Centre, Burnaby Hospital (Fraser Health); and

* Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (Island Health)

* assisted or independent living:
* none

From Feb. 9-15, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 22.4% of cases.
From Feb. 2-15, they accounted for 31.4% of hospitalizations.

Past week cases (Feb. 9-15) - Total 5,943

* Not vaccinated: 1,113 (18.7%)

* Partially vaccinated: 220 (3.7%)

* Fully vaccinated: 4,610 (77.6%)

Past two weeks cases hospitalized (Feb. 2-15) - Total 915

* Not vaccinated: 250 (27.3%)

* Partially vaccinated: 37 (4.1%)

* Fully vaccinated: 628 (68.6%)

Past week, cases per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (Feb. 9-15)

* Not vaccinated: 272.6

* Partially vaccinated: 88.9

* Fully vaccinated: 102.2

Past two weeks, cases hospitalized per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (Feb. 2-15)

* Not vaccinated: 67.3

* Partially vaccinated: 32.5

* Fully vaccinated: 13.4

Since December 2020, the Province has administered 11,196,470 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Pfizer Pediatric COVID-19 vaccines.