North Shore COVID cases soar as Omicron pushes infections to all-time high of over 534

The North Shore has recorded its highest COVID case count yet, in a week when many positive tests are likely not even being officially recorded.

There were 534 cases of COVID on the North Shore between Dec. 16 and 22 – 398 in North Vancouver and 136 in West Vancouver, according to B.C.’s Centre for Disease Control, with an average case rate of 37 daily cases per 100,000 in both communities.

Positivity rates among those seeking tests are also soaring, from a low of 11 per cent on Bowen Island to a high of 18 per cent in West Vancouver.

The soaring case counts come despite vaccination rates of over 90 per cent on the North Shore. They also come as B.C.'s recorded its highest daily case count on Thursday – 2,046 cases province-wide.

The Omicron variant of the virus now sweeping through the Lower Mainland has proven especially resistant to vaccines.

In the past week, 75 per cent of the cases have been in fully vaccinated people who have received two doses of vaccine. So far, however, the surge in new cases hasn't led to a surge in hospitalizations. Health officials are waiting anxiously to see if that changes in the coming weeks.

Officially, there had been 975 cases of the Omicron variant confirmed in B.C. as of Thursday, with over half of those cases in Vancouver Coastal Health.

Many cases have likely gone unconfirmed however, as in recent days the North Shore’s COVID-19 testing centre on Lloyd Avenue stopped giving the “gold standard” PCR test to most of those seeking a test. Instead, as testing centres and labs became overwhelmed, and lineups stretched for blocks, most people under 65 are now being handed rapid tests to take home and instructed to self-report their result to Vancouver Coastal Health online.

A number of people posted on social media on Thursday that they had been told by a nurse to take a rapid test home and leave the line-up.

Most of those commenting on their experience on a North Shore COVID-19 information Facebook page said they understood the rationale for switching to rapid tests as testing sites and labs that process PCR tests have been overwhelmed. But they also said people shouldn’t have to wait in a line-up for hours just to get a test kit to take home.

According to Vancouver Coastal Health, demand for tests have skyrocketed almost 70 per cent between Dec. 1 and 22, with almost 45,000 tests (both PCR and rapid) completed. The health authority has started handing out rapid antigen tests due to the rapid increase in demand, a spokeswoman confirmed. PCR tests are being done only for those at risk for more severe illness.

Those who test positive with a rapid antigen test are given a handout with instructions for reporting their result to the health authority, self-isolation, and notifying their contacts.

Vancouver Coastal Health continues to have the highest rates of COVID, although Whistler has now far surpassed the North Shore in its daily case rate for new infections with 87 daily cases per 100,000.

Parts of downtown Vancouver also have a higher case rate.

Dr. Bonnie Henry was expected to make another announcement Dec. 24.