B.C. reports 7 more people in hospital with COVID-19, 7 more in the ICU and 3 additional deaths

B.C. health officials say 324 people are now in hospital with COVID-19, including 90in intensive care,as the province reported three more deaths from the disease and 3,223 new cases on Thursday.

The new numbers represent an increaseof seven COVID-19 patients hospitalized within the last 24 hours, andseven morepatients in the ICU.

Experts say hospitalizations area more accurate barometer of the disease's impact,as new case numbersin B.C. arelikely higherthan reported, now that the province has hitits testing limit because of the Omicron surge.

As ofThursday, 24.2 per cent of COVID-19 tests in B.C. are coming back positive, according to the province's COVID-19 dashboard.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said thatanything above a five per cent test-positivity rateindicates a concerning level of community transmission.

There are currently 31,817 recorded active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are upby 53.6 per cent from last Thursday,when 211people were in hospital with the disease and upabout 34.4 per cent from a month ago when 241people were in hospital.

The number of patients in intensive care is upby about 36.4 per cent from 66 a week ago and upby 1.1 per cent from a month ago when 89people were in the ICU.

The provincialdeath toll from COVID-19is now 2,430 lives lost out of 273,731 confirmed cases to date.

Sixteen new outbreaks were declared in assisted living, long-term care and acute care facilities on Thursday. There are atotal of 37 active outbreaks in those settings, including outbreaks at Mission Memorial Hospital, Surrey Memorial Hospital, Eagle Ridge Hospital, Royal Columbian Hospital and Victoria General Hospital.

As of Thursday,88.4per cent of those five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of aCOVID-19 vaccineand 83.1 per cent asecond dose.

From Dec. 29 to Jan. 4, people who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 16.5 per cent of cases and from Dec. 22 to Jan. 4, and they accounted for 41.1per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

Nearly half ofPrince Rupert's firefighters in isolation

On Wednesday,the Prince Rupert Fire Rescue Department was operating with only sevenof20 staff, due to COVID-19.

Prince Rupert city manager RobBuchan said theskeleton crew of sevenfirefighters had already responded to a house fire and a medical distress call.

On Thursday five firefighters who ended their isolation or tested negativereturned, bringing the number ofstaff up to 12.

Volunteer firefighters fromneighbouring Port Edward are on standby, and firefighters with COVID-19 could be asked to return to work in a critical situation, Buchan said.

City of Surrey police shortage

As of Thursday the City of Surrey has 42 police officers and 12 municipal employees who are off from testing positive for COVID-19 or awaiting results.

"Our ability at this time to provide police services hasn't been compromised because of the spread of Omicron, even though we are impacted in our detachment," said Surrey RCMPspokesperson Elenore Sturko.

Sturko said thedetachment has planned since the beginning of the pandemic for such a scenario and has been able to move officers around as needed to fillessential positions.

"We've hit waves before and we feel very confident that we're going to get through it as a community together."

Fiftteen staff have already returned to duty after recovering from COVID-19 and eight more are slated to return shortly. she said.

Schools prepare for staffing shortages

Schools in B.C. are preparing for the possibility of having to deal withstaffing shortages.

Each school district would develop its own contingency plans.In such a scenario, Surrey schools would initiate a "functional closure," where schools would move to remote learning until staffing levels increase.

District superintendent Jordan Tinney said the closure would takea three-day-long phased approach.

Parents would be notified on Day 1, teachers and staff would have the following day to prepare,andonline learning would beginon Day 3.