Northern Health region adds 81 cases, one death over weekend, public health monitoring increase in cases

VICTORIA, B.C. – The Northern Health region added 81 cases on the weekend, moving the active case count to 236.

There are nine people in hospital, six of whom are in critical care.

There was one COVID-19 death over the weekend, raising the total to 271.

Since last spring, there have been 18,285 cases. Of those, 17,768 have since recovered.

There were 884 vaccine doses given since Friday, bringing the total dose count to 416,314. Of those, 185,465 are second doses and 29,213 are other doses.

British Columbia recorded 2,550 cases over the weekend, raising the active case count to 5,435.

There are 185 people in hospital, 77 of whom are in critical care.

There were three COVID-19 deaths over the weekend, raising the total to 2,402.

Out of 228,335 cases in British Columbia, 220,348 have since recovered.

Another 63,593 vaccine doses were given, bringing the total dose count to 9,165,398. Of those, 4,101,438 are second doses and 728,107 are other doses.

As of Monday, 87.3 per cent of eligible people five and older have one dose, and 82.6 per cent have both vaccine doses.

According to Monday’s written COVID-19 update, public health is monitoring the increase in cases in British Columbia and developments in other jurisdictions, and “will outline additional COVID-19 measures during Tuesday’s regular media briefing.”

There will be an update on the number of Omicron variant cases in the province during Tuesday’s media briefing.

The rise in cases  is believed to be due to the rise of the more transmissible Omicron variant.

The Centre for Disease control says the Omicron variant is the most commonly identified variant in the United States, with almost 75 per cent of all cases being Omicron.