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COVID-19: Interior Health’s 3 Omicron cases ‘not travel-related’

Click to play video: 'Omicron raising questions about holiday plans'
Omicron raising questions about holiday plans
WATCH: The new variant of concern is putting a damper on the holiday season. With Omicron cases now identified in BC’s Interior Health region, questions are being raised about what that means for December festivities. – Dec 15, 2021

As of Sunday night, Interior Health had three reported cases of the Omicron variant of concern.

All three cases were “locally acquired” and are “not travel-related,” the provincial Ministery of Health said in a brief statement.

“We know there is a lot of uncertainty still about Omicron. There is consensus that it spreads faster than Delta, that it is more infectious, but how much more is challenging to know,” Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said on Tuesday.

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The Omicron variant is raising last-minute questions about festive plans ahead of the holiday season.

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Henry advised people to keep their gatherings small and vaccinated.

“What I am telling people right now is to rethink what you are doing over the holidays in terms of having gatherings with people, particularly large social gatherings with people that you don’t know their vaccination status,” said Henry on Tuesday.

“Focus on having those close gatherings with your close friends, with your family. We all need that. We need to have the connection especially after last year.”

The province is expected to release an update on the number of Omicron cases in B.C. on Friday.

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