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B.C. records 375 new cases of COVID-19 and 7 more deaths

A man on a bench looks out over ships waiting in B.C.'s Burrard Inlet. (CBC / Radio-Canada - image credit)
A man on a bench looks out over ships waiting in B.C.'s Burrard Inlet. (CBC / Radio-Canada - image credit)

B.C. health officials announced 375 new cases of COVID-19 and seven more deaths on Wednesday.

In a written statement, the provincial government said there are currently 2,936 active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

A total of 301 people are in hospital, with 98 in intensive care.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by 5.3 per cent from last Wednesday, when 318 people were in hospital with the disease and about 31 per cent from a month ago when 436 people were in hospital.

The number of patients in intensive care is down by about 10 per cent from 109 a week ago and by 30 per cent from last month when 140 people were in the ICU.

The provincial death toll from COVID-19 is now 2,340 lives lost out of 218,801 confirmed cases to date.

The regional breakdown of new cases is as follows:

  • 98 new cases in Fraser Health, which has 994 total active cases.

  • 76 new cases in Island Health, which has 569 total active cases.

  • 70 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, which has 476 total active cases.

  • 69 new cases in Interior Health, which has 537 total active cases.

  • 62 new cases in Northern Health, which has 360 total active cases.

  • There are no new cases among people who reside outside of Canada, a group which has zero total active cases.

There are a total of five active outbreaks in assisted living, long-term, and acute care facilities.

Acute care outbreaks include:

  • Ridge Meadows Hospital

  • St. Paul's Hospital

As of Wednesday, 91.2 per cent of those 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 87.9 per cent a second dose, and nine per cent a third dose.

When taking into account those five and older, 84.8 per cent of people in B.C. had received a first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine and 81.7 per cent a second dose.

Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press
Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press

From Nov. 23 to 29, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 58.2 per cent of cases and from Nov. 16, they accounted for 68.1 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

So far, 8.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including over four million second doses.

Omicron in B.C.

Health officials confirmed Tuesday that the province has identified its first case of the COVID-19 omicron variant.

The case was found in a person residing in the Fraser Health region, who had recently returned home from travelling in Nigeria. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said that person is isolating.

Canada has expanded the number of countries with travel restrictions to 10.

On Tuesday, the federal government announced incoming air travellers from all countries except the United States will be required to take COVID-19 tests when arriving in Canada, regardless of their vaccination status. Incoming travellers will have to self isolate until they receive results of the test.

The omicron variant has also been found in Alberta, Quebec and Ontario.