B.C. records 970 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 more deaths over 3 days

B.C. health officials announced 970 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 more deaths over the last three days.

The breakdown of new cases is as follows:

• Nov. 26-27: 389 new cases
• Nov. 27-28: 309 new cases
• Nov. 28-29: 272 new cases

In a written statement, the provincial government said there are currently 2,882 active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

A total of 303 people are in hospital, with 115 in intensive care.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by 10 per cent from last Monday, when 337 people were in hospital with the disease and about 30.5 per cent from Oct. 29 when 436 people were in hospital.

The number of patients in intensive care has remained the same as a week ago, but is down by 26.3 per cent from a month ago when 156 people were in the ICU.

The provincial death toll from COVID-19 is now 2,333 lives lost out of 218,068 confirmed cases to date.

The regional breakdown of new cases is as follows: 

• 306 new cases in Fraser Health, which has 1,015 total active cases.
• 238 new cases in Island Health, which has 539 total active cases.
• 189 new cases in Interior Health, which has 534 total active cases.
• 134  new cases in Northern Health, which has 398 total active cases. 
• 103 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, which has 396 total active cases.
• There have been no new cases reported among people who reside outside of Canada, a group which currently has zero active cases.

There are a total of six active outbreaks in assisted living and long-term and acute care.

Acute care outbreaks include:

• Abbotsford Regional Hospital.
• Ridge Meadows Hospital.
• St. Paul's Hospital.

As of Monday, 91.1 per cent of those 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 87.8 per cent a second dose.

From Nov. 19 to 25, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 59 per cent of cases and from Nov. 12 to 25, they accounted for 67.2 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

After factoring for age, people not vaccinated are 18.5 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who are fully vaccinated, it said.

So far, 8.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including four million second doses.

PCR tests for travellers from southern Africa

Two cases of the new coronavirus variant, known as omicron, were confirmed in Ottawa on Sunday. Both were reported in individuals who recently travelled from Nigeria. Quebec also confirmed its first case of the omicron variant on Monday, also involving an individual who had recently returned from Nigeria.

On Monday, health officials said there has not been a confirmed case of the variant in B.C.

Dix said there are currently just over 200 people in the province who have returned from or passed through Africa in the recent weeks.

"All of those people will be receiving PCR tests so we can determine where we sit in British Columbia," Dix said on the CBC's The Early Edition.

"All of the actions that we would take if omicron had already arrived ... we're already taking."

Omicron was first identified in South Africa on Wednesday, but it has also been found in Europe, Australia and China.

Henry said the Public Health Agency of Canada has been working closely with the Canada Border Services Agency to identify people who have returned from the affected countries.

"The ArriveCan app has a list of where people have been. There's a little over 200 people in British Columbia, and over the weekend, we've been in contact with all of them," Henry said on the CBC's Daybreak South.

Immunization for ages 5-11 begins 

As for Monday, children between five and 11 years of age in B.C. can begin receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Last week, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said about 350,000 children are eligible to receive the first Health Canada-approved pediatric COVID-19 vaccine.

Health Canada approved the shot for use in Canada after an independent scientific review confirmed the first vaccine formulated for younger children is safe and effective.

Henry says the same vaccine has been given to more than three million children in the U.S. and there have been no "safety signals" as a result.

She says the vaccine will help children and families safely return to activities that benefit physical and mental health.

Officials said last week that invitations to book appointments will start going out Monday to families with children who have been registered, with a number of same-day appointments available.

Parents who have yet to register their children are encouraged to do so through the province's Get Vaccinated portal.