COVID-19 data reveals thousands tested positive in B.C. over Christmas weekend, new case record set

Preliminary data released by B.C.'s Health Ministry Monday gives a first look at how many people tested positive for COVID-19 over the Christmas weekend.

Numbers released in a written statement in the afternoon suggested 6,288 people tested positive over the three-day period that includes Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

The highest number of cases was recorded between Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, the province's update revealed. During that 24-hour period, 2,552 more people tested positive for the disease, which was a record-breaking case count.

Between Dec. 25 and Dec. 26, 2,023 positive tests were recorded and between Dec. 26 and Dec. 27, another 1,713 were added to B.C.'s total.

The figures released Monday are preliminary, the province said, and confirmation of those numbers is expected on Wednesday. Details on the latest hospitalizations, deaths and vaccination rates will also be released that day.

According to the preliminary data, Fraser Health saw the most infections during the three-day period with 3,181. Another 1,482 tested positive in Vancouver Coastal Health's jurisdiction. In Interior Health, 713 people tested positive while 737 were infected in Island Health. Finally, 174 people were confirmed to have the disease in Northern Health and one person who normally resides outside of Canada tested positive at some point over the weekend. 

The latest COVID-19 information comes as the province deals with a dramatic surge in infections, primarily due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

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

Last week, the province broke case-count records multiple times. On Friday, 2,441 more people tested positive for the disease, whereas less than two weeks before that, just 349 new infections were announced. 

Henry said Friday that anyone who has any symptoms of COVID-19 should assume they have it and self-isolate for seven days if they are fully vaccinated, or 10 days if they have had fewer than two shots of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Preliminary COVID-19 data is expected to be released Tuesday afternoon as well. Confirmation of those numbers will likely come on Wednesday, and B.C.'s Health Ministry says a media availability with health officials is expected that day as well.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Emily Silva and Alyse Kotyk