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COVID-19 cases in Delta more than doubled last week

Delta had 37 cases for the week of Nov. 28 to Dec. 4, 23 more than the week before
27400005_web1_211209-NDR-M-Active-cases-by-LHA-Nov-28-to-Dec-4
This map illustrates the number of active COVID-19 cases in Greater Vancouver from Nov. 28 to Dec. 4, 2021. (BC Centre for Disease Control image)

Active COVID-19 cases in Delta more than doubled last week even as numbers continued to decline across the Fraser Health region.

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 37 cases for the week of Nov. 28 to Dec. 4, a rise of 23 over the week before.

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The overall number of active cases in the Fraser Health region decreased again last week — 715 compared to 782 the week before.

All but four of the 13 local health areas (LHAs) in the region saw decreases from the previous week, most notably in Abbotsford (80, down 64 from the week before) and Mission (56, down 17).

LHAs other than Delta that saw increases last week were New Westminster (38, up 17), Tri-Cities (66, up 14) and Agassiz-Harrison (five, up two).

THE LATEST: Six more deaths Wednesday, 379 cases of COVID-19 in B.C. (Dec. 8, 2021)

Data shared on the BC CDC’s COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard shows Delta had an overall daily average of six new cases per 100,000 people for the week of Dec. 6, up from one the week before.

Broken down by community health service areas (CHSAs), that’s a rate of eight cases per 100,000 people in North Delta (up from one the week before), four in Ladner (up from three) and two in Tsawwassen (up from one). 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, up from under one per cent the week before. Delta is home to two per cent of the province’s population.

The positivity rate in Delta based on public tests the week of Dec. 6 was four per cent, up from one from the week before. Broken down by CHSA, rates were six per cent in North Delta (up from one), three per cent in Ladner (up from one) and two per cent in Tsawwassen (up from one).

SEE ALSO: Omicron variant grows to 5 cases in B.C., but no serious illness reported: Dr. Henry (Dec. 7, 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. 6, Delta continued to lead other LHAs in Fraser Health with 95 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 — 93 per cent, unchanged 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 93 per cent in North Delta (unchanged), 94 per cent in Ladner (unchanged) and 92 per cent in Tsawwassen (unchanged).

First dose rates were virtually identical when limited to adults 18 and over: 95 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: 93 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 93 for North Delta (unchanged), 94 for Ladner (unchanged) and 92 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).

For kids aged 12-17, first dose rates as of Dec. 6 were 95 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 94 for North Delta (up one per cent), 99 for Ladner (up one per cent) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were 91 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 90 for North Delta (up one per cent), 96 for Ladner (unchanged) and 90 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).

New this week, the dashboard shows first dose coverage among kids ages 5-11. Delta as a whole stood at eight per cent, North Delta at seven, Ladner at 10 and Tsawwassen at 10.

SEE ALSO: Canada to manufacture Merck COVID-19 antivirals if regulator approves (Dec. 6, 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 94 per cent in North Delta (unchanged), 96 in Ladner (up one per cent) and 95 in Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were 93 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 93 for North Delta (up one per cent), 94 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).

For those aged 18-49, first dose coverage was 96 per cent for Delta overall (unchanged), 97 for North Delta (unchanged), 96 for Ladner (unchanged) and 92 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were lower — 93 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 94 for North Delta (up one per cent), 93 for Ladner (unchanged) and 90 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. 6 was 55 per cent, up from 44 the week before. Broken down by CHSA, that’s 48 per cent in North Delta (up from 37), 58 in Ladner (up from 47) and 63 in Tsawwassen (up from 50).

RELATED: B.C. set to begin COVID-19 booster doses for ages 65 and up (Dec. 7, 2021)

Other than Delta, the Fraser Health LHAs with the highest first dose vaccine coverage for adults aged 12 and over were Surrey and Burnaby, both with 95 per cent (unchanged for Surrey and up one per cent from the week before for Burnaby). The next highest was New Westminster with 94 (unchanged), followed by Tri-Cities with 92 (unchanged) and South Surrey/White Rock with 91 (unchanged).

When it came to second dose rates, the rankings after Delta were: Surrey, Burnaby and New Westminster all at 92 per cent (unchanged for Burnaby and up one per cent for Surrey and New Westminster), followed by Tri-Cities (90, unchanged) and South Surrey/White Rock (89, unchanged).

SEE ALSO: Business holiday parties OK for more than 50, B.C. tourism group says (Dec. 8, 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. 9), 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 six Delta schools: Burnsview Secondary (Nov. 25 and 26), Devon Gardens Elementary (Nov. 25 and 30), Gibson Elementary (Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 2 and 3), Hellings Elementary (Nov. 25 and 26), Pinewood Elementary (Nov. 25) and Sunshine Hills Elementary (Nov. 29 and 30).

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: Travel, tourism sectors see glimmers of hope amid Omicron uncertainty (Dec. 9, 2021)

SEE ALSO: Improvements to vaccine technology in COVID age could benefit future inoculations (Dec. 8, 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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