Hundreds of cases, but few deaths so far in latest wave of COVID-19 outbreaks at B.C. care homes

The number of COVID-19 outbreaks in B.C.'s health-care system has exploded in recent weeks, but so far, relatively few deaths have been connected to the Omicron-driven surge.

Weekly outbreak data published by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control on Thursday shows that, of 39 outbreaks in long-term care homes that were active as of Tuesday morning, only four had seen any deaths. 

A total of seven residents have died in outbreaks at Agecare Harmony Court Care Centre, George Derby Centre, Fraserview Intermediate Care Lodge and St. Vincent's Langara Long Term Care. Four of the deaths happened at Agecare Harmony Court, while the other facilities saw one death each.

B.C. has seen a rapid increase in the number of outbreaks in long-term care facilities during the Omicron wave. As of Thursday, there were 53 active outbreaks in health-care settings in the province, including 43 in long-term care homes.

As recently as Dec. 22, there were no active health-care outbreaks anywhere in B.C.

The 39 care home outbreaks captured in this week's BCCDC update have a total of 724 infections associated with them.

The largest one, at the Oxford Senior Care Home in Abbotsford, has seen 59 people test positive - 31 residents and 28 staff members. No deaths are associated with that outbreak.

Most of the other outbreaks on the list have seen between 10 and 30 total cases, and no deaths.

Hundreds of care home residents have died in outbreaks since the pandemic began. The vulnerable population was a priority for B.C.'s initial COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and was among the first groups to be offered booster doses this fall.

Though most of the people contracting the Omicron variant of COVID-19 are vaccinated, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has credited vaccines for the milder illness most of them have experienced.