B.C. records 6,288 new COVID-19 cases over 3 days as Omicron drives up numbers
CBC
B.C. has confirmed 6,288 new cases of COVID-19 over the last three days as the province continues to see a surge of cases driven by the Omicron variant.
In a statement, the provincial government said 2,552 cases were identified from Friday to Saturday, 2,023 from Saturday to Sunday and 1,713 from Sunday to Monday.
The number of cases identified from Friday to Saturday marks an all-time record for the highest number of daily cases in the province, the fifth straight day that record was broken in B.C.
Information on deaths, hospitalizations, and vaccinations was not provided by the province Monday afternoon.
The province's statement says more detailed information will be reported again on Wednesday. The statement also noted that the numbers provided on Monday are preliminary.
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A series of public health measures to try to contain the latest wave of infections remains in place. Bars, nightclubs, gyms and fitness centres must stay closed, all indoor organized gatherings must be cancelled, and six-person table limits are still in place at restaurants as the Omicron variant spreads like wildfire.
Before the holidays, B.C. announced an expansion of the rapid testing program — though it did not include plans to provide tests widely to the general public. The province has been criticized for not expanding testing, with experts saying the full spread of infections is unknown with testing at full capacity.
The province has also accelerated its vaccine booster plan, now aiming to finish providing boosters by the end of March instead of May as originally planned.
Health authorities with the highest population densities continue to lead the surge in new cases.
The regional breakdown of new cases over the weekend is as follows:
Health authorities in the Lower Mainland announced they would be closing testing sites due to extreme cold in the region over the weekend.
On Monday, Fraser Health announced testing and vaccination sites at the B.C. Institute of Technology in Burnaby and near Coquitlam Central Station would have reduced services due to the cold weather.
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