BC reports record-high COVID-19 case count for second straight day

In a single day, British Columbia has already surpassed its previous record high for daily COVID-19 cases.

These record-high numbers could become a trend in the province over the next few days, as the Omicron variant continues to spread quickly through the population.

The province is now reporting a whopping 1,474 new cases of COVID-19, which brings the total number of active cases in the province to 7,253.

Of the new/active cases this is where they are coming from in each region:

• Vancouver Coastal Health: 711 new cases (2,952 active)
• Fraser Health: 435 new cases (2,277 active)
• Island Health: 176 new cases (1,146 active)
• Interior Health: 113 new cases (685 active)
• Northern Health: 39 new cases (195 active)
• No new cases of people who reside outside of Canada (zero active)

The updated case count for the Omicron variant will be provided in tomorrow’s COVID-19 update.

There are currently 187 people in hospital with COVID-19, with 71 of those individuals in intensive care.

75 percent of people currently in critical care due to COVID-19 are not fully vaccinated.

See the breakdown here: pic.twitter.com/TskJbcoJeV

— Adrian Dix (@adriandix) December 22, 2021

In the past 24 hours, six new deaths were reported bringing the provincial pandemic death toll to 2,409.

From the new deaths, three were reported in Fraser Health, two in Island Health, and one in Northern Health.

Only one COVID-19 outbreak remains active in acute care at Lions Gate Hospital in Vancouver Coastal Health.

In the past week (Dec. 14-20) this is how cases broke down from unvaccinated to vaccinated:

• Not vaccinated: 1,602 (27.0%)
• Partially vaccinated: 78 (1.3%)
• Fully vaccinated: 4,264 (71.7%)

This is how the past week of cases per 100,000 population after adjusting for age broke down from unvaccinated to vaccinated:

• Not vaccinated: 226
• Partially vaccinated: 38.3
• Fully vaccinated: 93.7

Over the past two weeks (Dec. 7-20) this is how cases hospitalized broke down from unvaccinated to vaccinated:

• Not vaccinated: 122 (66.7%)
• Partially vaccinated: 7 (3.8%)
• Fully vaccinated: 54 (29.5%)

Since December 2020, the province has administered 9,219,326 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

From the eligible people five and older in the province, 87.6% (4,366,010) have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 82.7% (4,122,434) have received their second dose.

Of the eligible people 12 and older in BC, 91.8% (4,253,714) have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 88.9% (4,122,360) have received their second dose and 16% (764,498) have received a third dose.

Also, 92.1% (3,985,464) of all eligible adults in BC have received their first dose, 89.4% (3,867,516) have received their second dose and 18% (763,715) have received a third dose.