FORT ST. JOHN -- The number of COVID-19 patients in B.C. hospitals dropped below 500 this week for the first time since late April.

There were 473 test-positive patients in hospital as of Thursday, the lowest weekly total reported since April 14. It is also 67 less people than were hospitalized a week ago.

Since B.C. switched to counting hospitalizations this way in January, the highest total number of patients in hospital on a Thursday has been 985, while the lowest has been 255.

42 people died from COVID-19 in B.C. over the past 7 days. Since the start of the pandemic, 3,469 British Columbians have died from the virus.

Across Northern B.C., 11 test-positive patients are in hospital as of Thursday, a drop from 23 a week ago.

There is currently no patients in Intensive Care across the Northern Health region.

 

 

With files from CTV Vancouver