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New COVID-19 outbreaks declared at North Vancouver hospital, Surrey school

Click to play video: 'COVID-19: B.C. reports 753 new cases, 3 deaths'
COVID-19: B.C. reports 753 new cases, 3 deaths
WATCH: B.C. health officials have released a written statement for Wednesday, Dec. 16 COVID-19 numbers. Legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey explains what's behind the explosion of new cases – Dec 16, 2021

Health officials declared new COVID-19 outbreaks at a hospital in North Vancouver and a private school in Surrey on Thursday.

The announcements came as B.C. declared 753 new cases, a six-week high, 472 of which were in the Lower Mainland.

At the Khalsa School Old Yale Road, Fraser Health said 23 cases had been identified among staff and students.

The school was being closed to in-person learning while the health authority performed contact tracing, it said.

Click to play video: 'COVID-19: Omicron impact on holiday plans'
COVID-19: Omicron impact on holiday plans

Meanwhile, Vancouver Coastal Health declared an outbreak at Lions Gate Hospital in the 4 West sub acute medicine unit.

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The health authority said five patients had tested positive for the virus.

The unit was closed to new admissions and transfer, and all group activities and visits were suspended, it said.

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Thursday’s new case count in B.C. was more than double the number of new cases reported on Thursday of last week.

The province has left the door open to implementing new COVID-19 restrictions, and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry was scheduled to hold a briefing on the situation Friday.

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