Northern Health continues to hold highest COVID-19 positivity rate in B.C.

Northern Health's COVID-19 positivity rate is headed in the wrong direction. 

According to the latest seven-day moving average data from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), the positivity rate in the north is 16.1 per cent as of Wednesday (March 24).

That's nearly double the province's current overall rate at 8.5 per cent

The second-highest rate belongs to Fraser Health, currently sitting at 10 per cent and is the only other authority in double digits. 

Vancouver Coastal Health comes in at 8.3 per cent, while Island Health is at 3.9 per cent and Interior Health at five per cent. 

As of this publication (March 26), Northern Health has a recorded 5,699 COVID-19 cases since March 14, 2020, with 330 cases currently listed as active. 

The BCCDC says a total of 120 lives have been lost to the virus in the region. 

There are 42 people in hospitals throughout the north, 11 of which are in ICU or critical care. 

On Monday (March 22), Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Northern Health was home to five variant-of-concern cases, but it's unclear if the number has changed since.

Dr. Henry and other health officials are expected to release a written update on the COVID-19 pandemic in B.C. around 3 p.m. today.