COVID-19 variant cases take off, with Brazil strain making B.C. debut

British Columbia now has cases of three COVID-19 variants, after the troubling appearance of the P1 variant on Tuesday.

While variants identified in the U.K., South Africa and Brazil are all more contagious, the P1 variant from Brazil has been shown to reinfect people who had recovered from the original virus.

All three can be managed with vaccines.

The provincial health officer reported 182 new COVID -19 variant cases on Tuesday, including the P1 case — making up a third of the 550

COVID-19 cases reported for the day.

This came a day after Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 114 new variant cases over a three-day period. On Friday there were 16 variant cases reported in a day — so numbers are accelerating. Henry said the bulk of variants cases had been the U.K.

variant B117, followed by the South African variant B117 and now the one P1 variant case.

There were two more deaths reported Tuesday, bringing that toll to 1,393.

There are 4,869 active COVID -19 cases in B.C., of which 249 are being treated in hospital including 68 in intensive care (a rise of two).

There are 113 active variant cases.

More than 10,000 people were given a first dose of vaccine on Tuesday, with the government providing very few second doses.

So far, 256,443 people in B.C. have received vaccine, or five per cent of the total population.

Henry reported one new health care facility outbreak at Fleetwood Place in Surrey, and declared outbreaks over at Fleetwood Villa — also in Surrey — and Glacier View Lodge in Courtenay.

The number of long-term care home outbreaks has fallen since staff and residents have been vaccinated; however, there have been cases of vaccinated residents catching the disease.