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B.C. hits record for hospital admissions as flu and RSV cases rise (www.cbc.ca)

submitted 10 months ago by breakfastmtn@lemmy.ca to c/britishcolumbia@lemmy.ca

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Dr. Bonnie Henry said she expects the viruses to peak in the next couple of weeks

Health officials say Influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are both on the rise in B.C., and hospitals in the province are treating a record number of patients as the respiratory illness season nears its peak.

Speaking at her first public briefing of the new year, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said it's common to see a spike in illness from respiratory viruses soon after the holiday season.

"We will continue to see high rates of influenza and RSV for the next few weeks. I expect if it follows the pattern that we've seen before that we may have a peak in the next week or so," said Henry. "COVID-19 activity, on the other hand, remains stable and has been decreasing since early November."

Health Minister Adrian Dix told Wednesday's briefing that 10,435 people were in hospital as of Tuesday night, the most the province has ever seen. He described it as a "time of challenge" for the heath-care system, but added that hospitals could "absolutely" handle the surge.