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COVID-19 cases in Delta fell again last week

City had had 206 cases from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, down 24 from the week before
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This map illustrates the number of active COVID-19 cases in Greater Vancouver from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, 2022. (BC Centre for Disease Control image)

The number of COVID-19 cases in Delta fell again last week, the fifth week of declining case totals after hitting an all-time high the week ending Jan. 1.

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 206 cases the week of Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, 24 fewer than the week before. Cases in the city hit an all-time high of 769 the week ending Jan. 1 as the Omicron variant surged across the region.

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The overall number of active cases in the Fraser Health region also decreased last week — 2,567, down from 3,458. Five weeks prior, case totals hit an all-time high of 11,314, more than double the 5,285 cases identified the week ending Dec. 25.

All 13 of the region’s LHAs saw decreases from the previous week, with the biggest drops in Surrey (752, down 267), Burnaby (203, down 186) and Abbotsford (241, down 90).

THE LATEST: B.C. health ministry drops daily reporting of active COVID-19 cases (Feb. 10, 2022)

Data shared on the BC CDC’s COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard shows Delta had an overall daily average of 24 new cases per 100,000 people for the week ending Feb. 7, down from 27 the week before, representing 92 new cases.

Broken down by community health service area (CHSA), that’s a rate of 20 cases per 100,000 people in North Delta (down from 24 the week ending Jan. 31, representing 86 new cases), 39 in Ladner (up from 36 the week ending Jan. 31, representing 76 new cases) and 17 in Tsawwassen (down from 23 the week ending Jan. 31, representing 30 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. the week ending Feb. 7, 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 Feb. 71 was 37 per cent, down from 41 the week before. Broken down by CHSA, rates were 34 per cent in North Delta (down from 44 the week before), 47 per cent in Ladner (up from 39) and 27 per cent in Tsawwassen (down from 37).

SEE ALSO: B.C. to reveal updated COVID pandemic response next week (Feb. 9, 2022)

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 — and in some cases, their third dose.

As of Feb. 7 97 per cent of adults aged 12 and over in Delta had received at least their first does of vaccine, up one per cent from the week before, while 95 per cent of residents 12 and over had received their second dose, also up one per cent. Fifty-four per cent of residents 12 and over had received their third dose of vaccine, up four per cent.

Broken down by CHSA, that’s 97 per cent first dose coverage in North Delta (unchanged from the week before), 97 per cent in Ladner (unchanged), and 95 per cent in Tsawwassen (unchanged). In terms of second dose rates, that’s 95 per cent in North Delta (unchanged), 95 per cent in Ladner (unchanged) and 93 per cent in Tsawwassen (unchanged). Third dose rates by CHSA were not available.

First dose rates were virtually identical when limited to adults 18 and over: 97 per cent for Delta as a whole (up one per cent from the week before), 97 for North Delta (unchanged), 97 for Ladner (unchanged) and 95 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were also similar: 95 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 95 for North Delta (unchanged), 95 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (up one per cent). Fifty-eight per cent of Deltans 18 and over had received a third dose of vaccine, up four per cent. (Third dose rates by CHSA were not available.)

SEE ALSO: All remaining B.C. health-care workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by March 24 (Feb. 9, 2022)

For kids aged 12-17, first dose rates as of Feb. 7 were 96 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 96 for North Delta (unchanged), 100 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were 93 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 92 for North Delta (unchanged), 98 for Ladner (unchanged) and 92 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Only nine per cent of Deltans 12-17 years old had received a third dose of vaccine, up eight per cent. (Third dose rates by CHSA were not available.)

The dashboard also shows first dose coverage among kids ages 5-11. Delta as a whole stood at 62 per cent (up two per cent), North Delta at 56 (up two per cent), Ladner at 70 (up one per cent) and Tsawwassen at 69 (up two per cent). Eight per cent of kids ages 5-11 had received a second dose of vaccine, up four per cent. (Second dose rates by CHSA were not available.)

SEE ALSO: Poll: Nearly 30% of Canadians say it’s time to ‘learn to live’ with COVID-19 (Feb. 10, 2022)

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 96 per cent (up one per cent from the week before). Broken down by CHSA, that’s 95 per cent in North Delta (unchanged), 96 in Ladner (unchanged) and 95 in Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were 94 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 94 for North Delta (unchanged), 95 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Seventy-four per cent of those 50 and over had received a third dose of vaccine, up three per cent. (Third dose rates by CHSA were not available.)

For those aged 18-49, first dose coverage was 98 per cent for Delta overall (up one per cent), 99 for North Delta (up one per cent), 97 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were lower — 95 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 96 for North Delta (unchanged), 95 for Ladner (unchanged) and 92 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Fourty per cent of adults 18-49 had received a third dose of vaccine, up five per cent. (Third dose rates by CHSA were not available.)

The dashboard also includes third dose coverage for those 70 and over, and the overall rate for Delta the week of Feb. 7was 83 per cent, up one per cent from the week before. Broken down by CHSA, that’s 78 per cent in North Delta (up one per cent), 86 per cent in Ladner (unchanged) and 87 per cent in Tsawwassen (up one per cent).

SEE ALSO: Workplace vaccine mandates being upheld as challenges largely tossed out, experts say (Feb. 6, 2022)

Delta, Surrey and Burnaby led other Fraser Health LHAs when it comes to first dose vaccine coverage for adults aged 12 and over with a rate of 97 per cent (unchanged for Surrey, up one per cent for Delta and Burnaby). Next highest was New Westminster with 96 per cent (up one per cent), followed by Tri-Cities with 94 (up one per cent) and South Surrey/White Rock with 92 (unchanged).

When it came to second dose rates, Delta and Burnaby led the way with 95 per cent (up one per cent), followed by Surrey and New Westminster with 94 per cent (unchanged for Surrey and up one per cent for New West), Tri-Cities with 92 per cent (unchanged) and South Surrey/White Rock with 91 per cent (up one per cent).

In terms of third dose rates, South Surrey/White Rock led the way with 57 per cent (up three per cent), followed by Delta (54, up four), New Westminster (54, up seven), Tri-Cities (52, up up five), Burnaby (51, up six) and Surrey (42, up four).

SEE ALSO: Doctors and tourism industry calling on Ottawa to end COVID-19 testing requirements (Feb. 10, 2022)

On Feb. 2, the BC CDC posted an updated map showing total cumulative cases by local health area from January, 2020 through to the end of January, 2022. The map shows there were a total of 8,272 COVID-19 cases in Delta through to Jan. 31, meaning there were 1,335 new cases last month, compared to 1,297 in December, 81 in November, 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 8,089 new cases in Surrey in January, compared to 4,027 in December, 776 in November, 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 23,899 new cases of COVID-19 in January, compared to 17,579 in December, 4,263 in November, 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 12,115 new cases in January, compared to 10,562 in December, 1,501 in November, 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.

SEE ALSO: British Columbians increasingly concerned about quality of health care (Feb. 5, 2022)

On Monday (Feb. 7), Fraser Health announced a COVID-19 outbreak at Good Samaritan Delta View Care Centre in East Delta after 14 residents at the Good Samaritan Society owned and operated long-term care facility had tested positive for COVID-19.

A weekly report from B.C.’s Health Ministry published Wednesday (Feb. 9) shows that outbreak was actually declared on Friday (Feb. 4), and as of Tuesday (Feb. 8) comprised 42 cases — 35 residents and seven staff.

On Thursday (Feb. 10), the health authority declared the outbreak at Mountain View Manor in Ladner over.

That outbreak was declared on Jan. 25 after four residents and six staff members at the Fraser Health owned and operated long-term care facility located on the grounds of Delta Hospital tested positive for COVID-19.

As of Tuesday (Feb. 8), there had been 38 cases associated with the outbreak — 30 residents and eight staff — and one resident had died.

As of Feb. 7, there were no other outbreaks at any Delta long-term care, assisted living or independent living facilities, and there were no public exposure notifications in the city.

Fraser Health no longer issues notices for COVID exposures in schools, owing to the way the Omicron variant rapidly spreads, making contact tracing less effective and preventing public health officials from being able to contact everyone who tests positive.

“Public Health will continue to work with schools if, for example, there is a significant decrease in attendance that is atypical for the time of year, and actions are to be taken, such as notification to the parents and guardians of the affected grade or school community. In the event of a declared outbreak, Public Health will issue a public notification,” according to Fraser Health’s website.

As of Feb. 7, Fraser Health’s website listed no outbreaks at any schools — in Delta or otherwise.

SEE ALSO: Canada to announce changes to COVID-19 border measures next week (Feb. 11, 2022)



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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