B.C. breaks record daily COVID case count for third straight day

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How does B.C.’s plan to tackle the Omicron variant stack up against the rest of Canada? Kier Junos reports on the province’s plans to expand booster shot programs and rapid testing.

By Hana Mae Nassar

Posted December 23, 2021 3:58 pm.

Last Updated December 23, 2021 6:45 pm.

B.C. has broken yet another record for daily COVID-19 case counts.

The province reported 2,046 new cases of the virus Thursday, including one death in the Island Health region. The majority of new cases were reported in the Vancouver Coastal (880) and Fraser Health (741) regions.

These latest case numbers were forecasted earlier this month in the province’s Omicron modelling prediction. They said if the variant spreads quickly and there is “immune evasion with the same severity as Delta,” the province could see 2,000 new infections per day by Dec. 26.

Keep in mind COVID-19 modelling for BC had previously suggested 2,000 cases a day by Dec. 29 in a worst case scenario. We have surpassed the health ministry’s worst case scenario nearly a week ahead of schedule & before Christmas gatherings have even happened. #bcpoli #COVID19 https://t.co/1l9heIvfIx

— Martin MacMahon (@martinmacmahon) December 24, 2021

To date, B.C. has recorded 233,217 COVID-19 infections.

In addition to more cases, there’s also been a slight increase in hospitalizations.

One death
2046 new cases
8739 active (a few thousand away from the spring peak)
Hosp up a bit – hosp/icu 195/75
VCH with more than 1/2 confirmed Omicron cases#bcpoli #covid19 @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/2FoxKeQBxi

— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) December 23, 2021

The province says there have been 975 cases of the Omicron variant confirmed in B.C. so far. The majority of them are again in the Vancouver Coastal (496) and Fraser Health (221) regions.

Between Dec. 15 and 21, people who were not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 accounted for more than 24 per cent of cases. In the Dec. 8 to 21 time period, these people accounted for more than 68 per cent of hospitalizations.

As of Thursday, 87.7 per cent of eligible people five and older had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. More than 82 per cent of eligible British Columbians have received two doses.

The increase in cases Thursday came after B.C. broke records on both Tuesday (1,308) and Wednesday (1,474).

Before this week, the highest single-day case count in B.C. was recorded on April 8 with 1,293.

– With files from Nikitha Martins

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