4 cases of omicron identified at UVic, as B.C. records 1,129 new cases of COVID-19 over 3 days

B.C. health officials announced 1,129 new cases of COVID-19 and five more deaths over the past three days on Monday, including four cases of the omicron variant detected at the University of Victoria.

The breakdown of new cases is as follows: 

• 415 new cases from Dec. 10 to 11
• 365 new cases from Dec. 11 to 12
• 349 new cases from Dec. 12 to 13

According to the province, there are currently 2,949 active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

A total of 185 people are in hospital, with 72 in intensive care.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by 23 per cent from last Monday, when 241 people were in hospital with the disease and about 51.8 per cent from a month ago when 384 people were in hospital.

The number of patients in intensive care is down by about 19 per cent from 89 a week ago and by 42 per cent from last month when 124 people were in the ICU.

The provincial death toll from COVID-19 is now 2,386 lives lost out of 223,142 confirmed cases to date.

The regional breakdown of new cases is as follows:

• 342 new cases in Fraser Health, which has 850 total active cases.
• 307 new cases in Island Health, which has 764 total active cases.
• 202 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, which has 565 total active cases.
• 200 new cases in Interior Health, which has 529 total active cases. 
• 78 new cases in Northern Health, which has 240 total active cases.
• No new cases have been reported among people who reside outside of Canada, a group which has one active case.

There  are a total of three active outbreaks in assisted living and long-term and acute care, including an outbreak at the Ridge Meadows Hospital.

As of Monday, 91.5 per cent of those 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 88.5 per cent a second dose and 13 per cent a third dose.

When taking into account those five and older, 86.5 per cent of people in B.C. had received a first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine and 82.3 per cent a second dose.

From Dec. 3 to 9, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 54.9 per cent of cases and from Nov. 26 to Dec. 9, they accounted for 67.9 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

After factoring for age, people not vaccinated are 22 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who are fully vaccinated, it said.

So far, 9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including four million second doses.

UVic cancels in-person exams

Island Health and the University of Victoria have confirmed 124 cases of COVID-19 have been associated with off-campus events.

At least four of the cases associated with this cluster are the omicron variant of concern, but officials expect there will be more omicron cases identified as lab sequencing continues.

A joint statement from the university and health authority says that these cases are among a "highly vaccinated population" and currently, those infected are dealing with mild illness.

They said they are not aware of any hospitalizations associated with this cluster at this time.

As of Monday, the University of Victoria has moved all in-person exams online.

Instructors have been asked to move all assessments online or use another method so that students are not sitting together for extended periods of time. Students will be informed of alternative arrangements by their instructor directly, the school says.

Rapid testing wanted

Advocates are calling on the provincial government to make rapid antigen tests more widely available in B.C., as other jurisdictions, including some other provinces and the U.K., offer them free for anyone who wants them.

As of Monday morning, a petition demanding free tests for all British Columbians set up by COVID Test Finders, a group dedicated to sharing where to access rapid testing in Canada, had collected more than 12,500 signatures. 

That petition is being supported by Protect Our Province B.C., a group of physicians and other health-care professionals who have raised concerns about the way health policies are being created and implemented in B.C. 

Currently, the only way the general public in B.C. can access rapid antigen testing is by purchasing the tests online.