BC is past the peak of its Omicron wave, according to wastewater data
BC’s latest wastewater data suggests COVID-19 cases are declining, indicating the province has passed the peak of its Omicron wave.
But hospital occupancy and approximate case counts are still higher than any time prior to Omicron throughout the pandemic, according to a May 18 slide deck from the BC COVID-19 Modelling Group.
Case data from BC COVID-19 Database
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The scientists say the turnaround in COVID-19 infections this time is driven by growing population immunity, unlike previous behaviour-driven declines.
Although few people can access a PCR test to be included in the government’s case reporting data, the modelling group says hospitalizations and reported cases are stabilizing across BC.
The majority of cases in May are the Omicron BA.2 lineage, which spread faster than Omicron BA.2