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COVID-19 cases in Delta climb again as numbers double across region

Delta had 82 cases for the week of Dec. 12 to 18, 25 more than the week before
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This map illustrates the number of active COVID-19 cases in Greater Vancouver from Dec. 12 to 18, 2021. (BC Centre for Disease Control image)

COVID-19 cases in Delta continued to climb last week as the number of cases in the region more than doubled.

The latest weekly map released by the BC Centre for Disease Control showing the geographic distribution of COVID-19 cases by local health area (LHA) of residence shows Delta had 82 cases for the week of Dec. 12 to 18, 25 more than the week before and the third week in a row that cases in the city rose by 20 or more.

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The overall number of active cases in the Fraser Health region more than doubled last week — 1,411 compared to 700 the week before.

All 13 local health areas (LHAs) in the region saw increases from the previous week, with significant spikes in Tri-Cities (193, up 139), Burnaby (179, up 110), Langley (153, up 88) and Surrey (298, up 76). Eight of the LHAs saw their COVID numbers at least double last week.

THE LATEST: B.C. sees 2nd record-high number of new COVID cases in as many days; 6 deaths (Dec. 22, 2021)

RELATED: B.C. closes gyms and bars, bans indoor organized events over holidays as Omicron surges (Dec. 21, 2021)

SEE ALSO: Molecular analysis of Omicron variant shows it’s ‘highly evasive of immunity’: UBC (Dec. 22, 2021)

Data shared on the BC CDC’s COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard shows Delta had an overall daily average of 13 new cases per 100,000 people for the week of Dec. 19, up from seven the week before, representing 100 new cases Dec. 13-19.

Broken down by community health service areas (CHSAs), that’s a rate of 11 cases per 100,000 people in North Delta (up from eight the week before, representing 49 new cases), 12 in Ladner (up from four the week before, representing 23 new cases) and 16 in Tsawwassen (up from 10 the week before, representing 28 new cases). The CHSA of Tsawwassen is comprised of both the Delta community and the Tsawwassen First Nation.

Delta’s total case count over that time frame represented two per cent of cases in B.C. that week, unchanged from the week before. Delta is home to two per cent of the province’s population.

The positivity rate in Delta based on public tests performed the week of Dec. 19 was six per cent, up from four the week before. Broken down by CHSA, rates were six per cent in North Delta (up from five), four per cent in Ladner (up from three) and six per cent in Tsawwassen (up from five).

RELATED: Rapid testing to expand; return of mass-vaccination sites for COVID booster shots in B.C. (Dec. 21, 2021)

SEE ALSO: COVID-19 cases across Canada could be ‘very high’ by January, top doctor warns (Dec. 23, 2021)

The dashboard also shows breakdowns of vaccine coverage across the CHSAs by age (5-11, 12+, 12-17, 18+, 18-49 and 50+) and by whether people have received their first or second dose, or in the case of those 70+, their third dose.

As of Dec. 19, Delta continued to lead other LHAs in Fraser Health with 96 per cent of adults aged 12 and over having received at least their first does of vaccine, unchanged from the week before. Delta also led in second doses among residents 12 and over — 94 per cent, up one per cent from the week before.

Broken down by CHSA, that’s 96 per cent first dose coverage in North Delta (unchanged from the week before), 96 per cent in Ladner (unchanged), and 94 per cent in Tsawwassen (unchanged). In terms of second dose rates, that’s 94 per cent in North Delta (up one per cent), 94 per cent in Ladner (unchanged) and 93 per cent in Tsawwassen (up one per cent).

First dose rates were virtually identical when limited to adults 18 and over: 96 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged from the week before), 96 for North Delta (unchanged), 96 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were also similar: 94 per cent for Delta as a whole (up from one per cent), 94 for North Delta (unchanged), 94 for Ladner (unchanged) and 93 for Tsawwassen (up from one per cent).

For kids aged 12-17, first dose rates as of Dec. 19 were 95 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 94 for North Delta (unchanged), 99 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were 92 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 91 for North Delta (up one per cent), 97 for Ladner (up one per cent) and 91 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).

The dashboard now also shows first dose coverage among kids ages 5-11. Delta as a whole stood at 32 per cent (up nine per cent), North Delta at 24 (up five), Ladner at 42 (up 14) and Tsawwassen at 44 (up 15).

SEE ALSO: Experts weigh in as B.C. prepares to address its rapid test lag (Dec. 23, 2021)

SEE ALSO: Surrey reports nearly 300 COVID cases Dec. 12 to 18 (Dec. 23, 2021)

SEE ALSO: Omicron prompts University of British Columbia courses to go temporarily online (Dec. 23, 2021)

First dose rates for those 18-49 and those 50 and over were nearly the same and in line with other age categories.

For adults 50 and over, first dose coverage in Delta was 95 per cent (unchanged from the week previous). Broken down by CHSA, that’s 95 per cent in North Delta (up one per cent), 96 in Ladner (unchanged) and 95 in Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were 94 per cent for Delta as a whole (up one per cent), 93 for North Delta (unchanged), 95 for Ladner (up one per cent) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).

For those aged 18-49, first dose coverage was 97 per cent for Delta overall (up one per cent), 98 for North Delta (up one per cent), 96 for Ladner (unchanged) and 93 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were lower — 94 per cent for Delta as a whole (up one per cent), 95 for North Delta (up one per cent), 94 for Ladner (unchanged) and 91 for Tsawwassen (up one per cent).

The dashboard now also includes third dose/booster coverage for those 70 and over, and the overall rate for Delta the week of Dec. 19 was 67 per cent, up from 62 the week before. Broken down by CHSA, that’s 60 per cent in North Delta (up from 55), 71 in Ladner (up from 65) and 74 in Tsawwassen (up from 70).

RELATED: Fraser Health to reopen 3 Surrey COVID vaccine clinics to help with booster rollout (Dec. 23, 2021)

SEE ALSO: Think you have COVID-19 during the Omicron wave? Here’s what to do (Dec. 20, 2021)

Other than Delta, the Fraser Health LHA with the highest first dose vaccine coverage for adults aged 12 and over was Surrey with 96 per cent (unchanged from the week before). The next highest was Burnaby with 95 per cent (unchanged), followed by New Westminster with 94 (unchanged), Tri-Cities with 93 (up one per cent) and South Surrey/White Rock with 91 (unchanged).

When it came to second dose rates, Burnaby and Surrey both had 93 per cent (unchanged for Burnaby and up one per cent for Surrey). The next highest was New Westminster with 92 per cent (unchanged), followed by Tri-Cities (91, up one per cent) and South Surrey/White Rock (89, unchanged).

SEE ALSO: Feds add businesses, employees impacted by capacity limits to COVID benefit eligibility (Dec. 22, 2021)

SEE ALSO: B.C. announces $1K-$10K grants for businesses impacted by latest COVID restrictions (Dec. 23, 2021)

SEE ALSO: B.C. extends 15% cap on restaurant delivery fees for another year (Dec. 20, 2021)

On Dec. 8, the BC CDC posted an updated map showing total cumulative cases by local health area through to the end of November. The map shows there were a total of 5,640 COVID-19 cases in Delta through to Nov. 30, meaning there were just 81 new cases last month, compared to 210 in October, 193 in September, 223 in August, 26 in July, 92 in June, 488 in May, 990 in April and 614 in March.

The map also shows there were 776 new cases in Surrey in November, compared to 1,462 in October, 1,357 in September, 980 in August, 189 in July, 529 in June, 4,012 in May, 7,043 in April and 4,406 in March.

For the Fraser Health region as a whole, there were 4,263 new cases of COVID-19 in November, compared to 7,478 in October, 6,792 in September, 4,478 in August, 771 in July, 1,636 in June, 8,913 in May, 17,086 in April and 10,554 in March.

Vancouver Coastal Health, meanwhile, had 1,501 new cases in November, compared to 1,977 in October, 2,696 in September, 2,787 in August, 424 in July, compared to 563 in June, 2,833 in May, 7,497 in April and 5,726 in March.

As of Thursday morning (Dec. 23), there were no outbreaks at any Delta long-term care, assisted living or independent living facilities, there were no public exposure notifications in the city, and no Delta businesses had been temporarily closed due to COVID-19 spread among workers.

Also as of Thursday, Fraser Health’s website listed exposures at four Delta schools: Cougar Canyon Elementary (Dec. 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17), English Bluff Elementary (Dec. 9), Seaquam Secondary (Dec. 9) and South Delta Secondary (Dec. 13, 14 and 15).

Fraser Health defines exposure as “a single person with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection who attended school during their infectious period.” Two or more individuals is defined as a cluster, while an outbreak describes a situation involving “multiple individuals with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infections when transmission is likely widespread within the school setting.”

SEE ALSO: Short trip across the border? COVID molecular tests are required again after brief hiatus (Dec. 21, 2021)

SEE ALSO: Trudeau pushes back at Biden’s messaging on safe COVID-19 holiday gatherings (Dec. 22, 2021)



editor@northdeltareporter.com

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James Smith

About the Author: James Smith

James Smith is the founding editor of the North Delta Reporter.
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