Even as COVID-19 hospitalization and cases decrease, deaths continue to remain high. Nine more people died from the virus while nearly 600 cases were reported Thursday. There are 612 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 102 are in intensive care.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

VICTORIA – Even as COVID-19 hospitalization and cases decrease, deaths continue to remain high. Nine more people died from the virus while nearly 600 cases were reported Thursday.

As of Thursday, Feb. 24, 90.6% (4,513,956) of eligible people five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 86.0% (4,287,016) have received their second dose.

In addition, 93.2% (4,320,890) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 90.7% (4,201,999) received their second dose and 55.1% (2,555,669) have received a third dose.

Also, 93.6% (4,046,874) of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose, 91.1% (3,939,884) received their second dose and 57.2% (2,475,748) have received a third dose.

B.C. is reporting 597 new cases of COVID-19, including five epi-linked cases, for a total of 346,793 cases in the province.

The new cases include:

* Fraser Health: 118

* Vancouver Coastal Health: 64

* Interior Health: 194

* Northern Health: 108

* Island Health: 113

* People who reside outside of Canada: zero

There are 612 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 102 are in intensive care.

In the past 24 hours, nine new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,840.

The new deaths include:

* Fraser Health: one

* Vancouver Coastal Health: four

* Interior Health: two

* Northern Health: two

There have been no new health-care facility outbreaks, for a total of 29 facilities with ongoing outbreaks, including:

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

* Glenmore Lodge, Trinity Care Centre, Ponderosa, Castleview Care Centre, Overlander Residential Care, Three Links Manor, Hillside Village, Polson Long Term Care, Mission Creek Landing (Interior Health)

* Wexford Creek, Sidney Care Home, Eden Gardens, Kiwanis Village Lodge, Salvation Army Sunset Lodge, Sunset Lodge, Amica on the Gorge, 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:
* Burnaby Hospital and Langley Memorial Hospital (Fraser Health)

* assisted or independent living:
* Williams Lake Seniors Village (Interior Health)

From Feb. 16-22, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 20.6% of cases. From Feb. 9-22, they accounted for 33.4% of hospitalizations.

Past week cases (Feb. 16-22) - Total 3,750

* Not vaccinated: 663 (17.7%)

* Partially vaccinated: 110 (2.9%)

* Fully vaccinated: 2,977 (79.4%)

Past two weeks cases hospitalized (Feb. 9-22) - Total 589

* Not vaccinated: 171 (29.0%)

* Partially vaccinated: 26 (4.4%)

* Fully vaccinated: 392 (66.6%)

Past week, cases per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (Feb. 16-22)

* Not vaccinated: 159.6

* Partially vaccinated: 49.1

* Fully vaccinated: 65.1

Past two weeks, cases hospitalized per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (Feb. 9-22)

* Not vaccinated: 47.4

* Partially vaccinated: 24.5

* Fully vaccinated: 8.3

Since December 2020, the Province has administered 11,299,923 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Pfizer Pediatric COVID-19 vaccines.