B.C. records highest number of new COVID-19 cases at 1,308 as officials warn exposure for most is 'inevitable'

B.C. health officials announced 1,308 new cases of COVID-19 and one more death on Tuesday, as the province unveiled the latest round of of new restrictions meant to curb the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

This is the highest one-day total for new cases to date, and it comes after Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry warned the public during a live news conference that it's now "inevitable that most of us in the province will be exposed at some point."

In a written statement, the provincial government said there are currently 6,348active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

B.C.'s recorded cases of Omicron now stand at 756,mostlyin the Vancouver Coastal Health region, which has identified 413 cases.

A total of 192people are in hospital, with76 in intensive care.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, areup by one from last Tuesday, when 191people were in hospital with the disease but down by about 43per cent from a month ago when 337 people were in hospital.

WATCH | Dr. Bonnie Henry tallks about the inevitability of exposure to Omicron:

Most B.C. residents will be exposed at some point to COVID-19, says Dr. Henry

3 years ago

Duration 0:53

B.C.s provincial health officer gave the dire warning as new restrictions take effect to stop the spread of the Omicron variant.

The number of patients in intensive care is downby about sixper cent from 81 a week ago and by 34 per cent from a month ago when 115people were in the ICU.

The latest numbers come after the province announced a raft of new measures intended to contain the latest wave of infections. Bars, nightclubs, gyms and fitness centres are being forced to close, all indoor organized gatherings must be cancelled and six-person table limits are being reintroduced in restaurants as the Omicron variant spreads like wildfire.

Officials have also announced an expansion of the rapid testing program and an acceleration of the vaccine booster plan.

High caseload in Vancouver Coastal Health

The provincialdeath toll from COVID-19is now 2,403 lives lost out of 229,643 confirmed cases to date.

Health authorities with the highest population densities continue to lead the surge in new cases. The regional breakdown of new cases is as follows:

• 525 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, which has 2,326total active cases.
• 419 new cases in Fraser Health, which has 2,024total active cases.
• 202 new cases in Island Health, which has 1,116total active cases.
• 138 new cases inInterior Health, which has 695total active cases.
• 23 new cases in Northern Health, which has 186total active cases.
• There is onenew caseamong people who reside outside of Canada, a group which has one total active case.

Thereis one active outbreakin the health-care system at Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver.

As of Tuesday, 91.7per cent of those 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of aCOVID-19 vaccine, 88.9 per cent asecond doseand 16 per cent a third dose.

When taking into accountthose five and older, 87.5 per cent of people in B.C. had received a first shot and 82.7per cent a second dose.

From Dec. 13 to 19, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 30.7 per cent of cases and from Dec. 6 to 19,they accounted for 71.7 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

After factoring for age, people not vaccinated are about 24 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who are fully vaccinated, it said.

COVID-19 rapid testing

The province's announcements on Tuesday included plans to expand the use of rapid tests, making them available to symptomatic people at testing centres as well as at long-term care facilities and for vulnerable communities and businesses. Health-care workers in acute care will also have access.

Sabrina Wong, a professor at the University of British Columbia's School of Nursing, says rapid testing can help break the chains of transmission and protect people who are medically vulnerable.

"This is really about a harm reduction approach," Wong said. "So no matter what the new restrictions will be, there will be some who will not change their behaviour and want to see their family and friends. So wouldn't it be better to test and find COVID before the person enters the gathering or the event?"

While the tests are not perfect, Wong said, they can help provide people with some peace of mind.

"We know that people's mental health has deteriorated and many people are emotionally burnedout," she said. "So rapid antigen testing can be used to ease people's anxiety about whether they have COVID. It's not going to go away very quickly, this pandemic, so people need to start to feel more confident in going about their daily lives."