B.C. sees highest daily COVID-19 case count in eight months
Posted December 20, 2021 4:53 pm.
Last Updated December 21, 2021 4:51 am.
Editor’s note: An earlier version stated 87.3 per cent of the eligible population had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. That number has since been corrected to 82.6 per cent.
The number of new COVID-19 infections in the province continues to rise, with more than 800 people testing positive each day since Friday.
Monday’s update from provincial health officials came the same day sweeping new restrictions took effect in B.C., meant to curb a surge in new cases driven by the Omicron variant.
From Dec. 17 to 18, B.C. saw 911 new cases, there were 832 from Dec. 18 to 19, and another 807 between the 19 and 20. The province has not seen 900 daily cases since April, 2021.
Vancouver Coastal Health saw the highest number of cases with 909, followed by Fraser health with 877. In the Island Health region, there were 415, in Interior Health there were 268, and in Northern Health there were 81.
Between Dec. 10 and Dec. 16, people who are fully vaccinated accounted for 60.6 per cent of new cases.
911, 832, 807 new cases over last three days (911 most single day since Apr 23)
5435 isolated (most since Oct 8)
3 deaths over the weekend
Hosp/icu holding at 185/77
(Hosp & deaths in other waves lag a couple weeks after cases)#bcpoli #covid19 @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/nchhv7i1fP— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) December 21, 2021
An update on the number of confirmed Omicron cases was not provided, and will come on Tuesday when the province is set to provide an update on rapid testing. However, the statement from Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix also hints that the province could be bringing in more restrictions.
“Public health is monitoring the increase in cases in British Columbia and developments in other jurisdictions, and will outline additional COVID-19 measures during Tuesday’s regular media briefing
Three more people have passed away, bringing the total number of lives lost to 2,402.
There are 185 people in the hospital, 77 of whom are in intensive care. Between Dec. 6 and Dec. 16, 71.4 per cent of those hospitalized were not fully vaccinated.
There have been no new health-care facility outbreaks, and there is one ongoing — at North Vancouver’s Lions Gate Hospital.
On the vaccination front, 82.6 per cent of eligible British Columbians age 5 and over have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 87.3 per cent have received one dose. Seventeen per cent of eligible adults have received a booster dose.
