B.C. breaks COVID-19 case record for 4th day in a row, Omicron cases now over 1,000

The B.C. government announced more than 2,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, breaking the province's all-time record for the fourth day in a row.

The B.C. government announced more than 2,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, breaking the province's all-time record for the fourth day in a row.

The update from the Ministry of Health confirmed a total of 2,441 new infections Christmas Eve, pushing B.C.'s seven-day average up to an all-time high of 1,403 infections per day.

Case numbers have continued to surge across the province since Dec. 13, skyrocketing from 349 up to 2,441 in less than two weeks.

Health officials also confirmed there are now 1,613 Omicron cases in the province as of Friday, a significant jump from Thursday's total of 975.

Just hours earlier, provincial health officer Bonnie Henry provided updated guidance on the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in a news conference, stressing the importance of prioritizing tests for those who need it.

“What we are seeing across this country and across the globe is that Omicron is different," Henry said. "It is spreading in a way that is very different from previous variants."

The province will be targeting those at the greatest risk of complications from COVID-19 such as those over age 65 and those with compromised immune systems. Others will be offered rapid tests.