B.C. reports 1,308 new COVID-19 cases, 138 in Interior Health

KAMLOOPS — B.C. reports 1,308 new COVID-19 cases for Tuesday (Dec. 21) with only 138 of them in Interior Health. Active cases spiked again to 6,348 in the province (up by 913 since Monday) and increased to 695 in Interior Health (up by 47).

Of the provincial active cases, 192 patients are in hospital (up by seven) with 76 of them in intensive care (down by one).

As of Tuesday, there have been 756 cases of the Omicron variant of concern in B.C. – up by 454 since Friday – but only eight of them are in Interior Health.

Elsewhere, 525 new cases were reported in Vancouver Coastal Health (2,326 active), 419 in Fraser Health (2,024), 202 in Island Health (1,116), and 23 in Northern Health (186). One case was reported from a person who resides outside of Canada for an active total of one.

One new death was reported in Northern Health over the last 24 hours for a provincial total of 2,403.

There’s only one active healthcare facility outbreak in the province at Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver.

As of Tuesday, 87.5 per cent (4,359,335) of eligible people five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 82.7 per cent (4,120,332) have received their second.