Island Health detects four Omicron variant cases at UVic

Island Health is confirming the Omicron variant has been detected in several recent cases at the University of Victoria.

At least four cases of the variant are associated with a cluster of 124 new infections at the university because of people who attended off-campus events.

The health authority says it is seeing mild illness and so far it is not aware of anyone that needed to be hospitalized because of the cluster. This is because the group infected are within the vaccinated population.

“It is also important to emphasize that initial epidemiological data confirms that transmission is occurring in indoor household or social settings where few, if any COVID-19 controls are in place,” a statement from Island Health adds.

“There is no evidence of transmission in on-campus classrooms or workplaces due to the many control measures that exist on campus.”

Now 124 cases in the @uvic #covid19 cluster.
4 confirmed omicron.
Rapid tests being used to mitigate spread.@VanIslandHealth saying important to note this is a highly vaccinated population.#bcpoli @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/qZIgUUCFXO

— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) December 14, 2021

They say that additional testing is underway and they are expecting additional cases of the variant.

Related Article: Rising COVID-19 cases on campus prompt several universities to cancel in-person exams

Island Health and the University are also working to distribute rapid test kits to help manage the cluster.

On Sunday, the university announced it would end in-person exams and classes to help stop the spread of the virus.

B.C. records five deaths, 1,129 cases over weekend 

Meanwhile, five more people have died from COVID-19 over the last three days in the rest of the province, as 1,129 people test positive for the virus.

Of the accounted new cases, 415 were recorded between Friday and Saturday, 365 were from Saturday to Sunday and 349 were from Sunday to Monday.

Most of these new cases and deaths are in the Fraser Health region, where three people died, and 342 infections were recorded.

As for the rest of the region, Vancouver Coastal Health recorded 202 cases, Interior Health recorded 200, Northern Health recorded 78, and Island Health recorded 307.

An update on cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the province will be provided at a briefing Tuesday.

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One person in Northern Health and Island Health died over the weekend.

Out of the 2,949 active cases, 185 people are in hospital and 72 are in intensive care.

According to new data, 54.9 per cent of people who were not fully vaccinated made up for the latest infections.

From Nov. 26 to Dec. 9, they also accounted for 67.9 percent of hospitalizations.

As of Monday, 86.5 per cent of people aged five and older have gotten at least one dose of the COVID vaccine in B.C., and 82.3 per cent have gotten their second dose.

There have been no new health-care facility outbreaks, but the George Derby Centre in the Fraser Health region has been declared over.

In total, there are three facilities with ongoing outbreaks, including:

• Long-term care: Ponderosa Lodge (Interior Health)
• Acute care: Ridge Meadows Hospital (Fraser Health)
• Assisted or independent living: Laurier Manor (Northern Health)