B.C. Covid update Thursday: 587 cases; second case of blood clotting
British Columbia is reporting a second case of a blood clotting disorder from a person who got the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, said the man in his 40s, who lives in the Fraser Health region, is in stable condition.
Henry said recognizing the symptoms and getting treatment for the disorder early is important.
“This is a condition we’re learning more about. The vaccine, in some people, seems to stimulate an immune response that develops anti bodies against our platelets, so this causes a type of clotting that is different than other types of blood clots,” the province’s top doctor said at Thursday’s update.
Henry said there is test and treatment for the clotting.
Symptoms show up 4 to 28 days after getting the vaccine. Symptoms include a persistent, severe headache, shortness of breath, ongoing chest pain and others (see below for complete list).
Another 18 cases of blood-clotting have been confirmed in Canadians who got the AstraZeneca shot, with ten other cases under investigation.
B.C. will use incoming AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccines for second dose boosters.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said 272,537 doses of the AZ vaccine have been administered in B.C. and 99 per cent have been first doses.
Henry announced 587 new Covid cases Thursday including:
- 126 Vancouver Coastal Health
- 365 Fraser Health
- 21 Island Health
- 60 Interior Health
- 15 Northern health
B.C. has 5,691 active cases with 413 people in hospital and 141 in critical or intensive care.
There have been five more deaths for a total of 1,632.
Henry said most of the most recent victims were over age 70 and one was person in their 60s.
To date, 2,335,513 Covid vaccine doses have been shot into arms, with 119,691 second doses. The overall number means 50 per cent of those eligible, adults over 18, have got a first dose.
Henry said there won’t be any changes to the restrictions until after the May long weekend (May 25) as the province tries to hold the line on cases.
“And even then, it’s not going to be flicking a switch. It’s going to be gradually and slowly increasing the light,” Henry commented.
Under questioning, Henry said 30 B.C. residents who received a Covid vaccine died between Dec. 27, 2020 and May 1, 2021, 26 who received one dose of vaccine and four who received two doses.
Update on outbreaks:
· Sandalwood Retirement Resort independent living in Kelowna has 28 cases: 26 residents and two staff, with two deaths connected to the outbreak.
· Orchard Haven long-term care in Keremeos has two cases: one resident and one staff.
· Spring Valley long-term care in Kelowna has 35 cases: 25 residents, 10 staff/other, with six deaths connected to the outbreak.
(Submitted image: BC Centre for Disease Control)