B.C. records 326 new cases of COVID-19 and 1 more death

B.C. health officials announced 326 new cases of COVID-19 and one more death Tuesday.

In a written statement, the provincial government said there are currently 2,814 active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

A total of 242 people are in hospital, with 82 in intensive care.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by 19.3 per cent from last Tuesday, when 300 people were in hospital with the disease and about 43.2 per cent from a month ago when 426 people were in hospital.

The number of patients in intensive care is down by about 21 per cent from 104 a week ago and by 33.9 per cent from last month when 124 people were in the ICU.

The provincial death toll from COVID-19 is now 2,363 out of 220,856 confirmed cases to date.

The regional breakdown of new cases is as follows: 

• 92 new cases in Fraser Health, which has 930 total active cases.
• 88 new cases in Interior Health, which has 561 total active cases.
• 71 new cases in Island Health, which has 591 total active cases.
• 53 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, which has 471 total active cases.
• 22 new cases in Northern Health, which has 261 total active cases. 
• No new cases are being reported among people who reside outside of Canada, a group which has zero 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 Tuesday, 91.3 per cent of those 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 88.2 per cent  a second dose and 11 per cent a third dose.

When taking into account those five and older, 85.6 per cent of people in B.C. had received a first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine and 82 per cent a second dose.

From Nov. 29 to Dec. 5, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 58.7 per cent of cases and from Nov. 22 to Dec. 5, they accounted for 63.1 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

After factoring for age, people not vaccinated are 15.5 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who are fully vaccinated, it said.

So far, 8.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including four million second doses.

Omicron variant spreading in B.C.

In a news conference Tuesday, Dr. Bonnie Henry said there were five cases of the omicron variant in B.C., all of which she characterized as "mild, asymptomatic cases." No one has been hospitalized or has died due to the variant, although two of the people with the variant are unvaccinated.

"There are many things we still don't know," Henry said.

"This is our latest variant of concern and it seems like we're in this never-ending uncertainty ... it is yet another hill on a very long journey."

Health Minister Adrian Dix said while it is encouraging to see the numbers dropping, British Columbians cannot drop their guard. 

"While all of the discussion of the omicron variant is important ... we need to stay focused on the here and now, and what's here in B.C. right now is the delta variant," said Dix. 

"It's the delta variant that seizes upon the unvaccinated to live. It's the delta variant that seizing upon the unvaccinated to spread."