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Delta saw a slight gain in COVID-19 cases last week

City had 18 cases the week of March 13 to 19, two more than the week before
28533616_web1_220324-NDR-M-Active-cases-by-LHA-March-13-to-19
This map illustrates the number of active COVID-19 cases in Greater Vancouver from March 13 to 19, 2022. (BC Centre for Disease Control image)

There was a slight increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Delta last week.

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 18 cases the week of March 13 to 19, two more 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 continued to fall last week — 350, down from 395. Case totals hit an all-time high of 11,314 the week ending Jan. 1, more than double the 5,285 cases identified the week ending Dec. 25.

Seven of the region’s 13 LHAs saw modest decreases from the previous week, with the biggest drops in Langley (20, down 23) and Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows (17, down 13).

In addition to Delta, five other LHAs saw their case totals rise slightly, with the biggest increase in the Tri-Cities — 49 cases, five more than the week before.

THE LATEST: B.C. COVID-19 hospitalizations climb for the first time since February (March 23, 2022)

Data shared on the BC CDC’s COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard shows Delta had an overall daily average of two new cases per 100,000 people for the week ending March 21, unchanged from the week ending March 17, representing 36 cases.

Broken down by community health service area (CHSA), that’s a rate of two cases per 100,000 people in North Delta (unchanged from the week ending March 17, representing nine cases), three in Ladner (unchanged from the week ending March 17, representing six cases) and two in Tsawwassen (down one from the week ending March 17, representing three cases). The CHSA of Tsawwassen is comprised of both the Delta community and the Tsawwassen First Nation.

The positivity rate in Delta based on public tests performed the week of March 21 was 20 per cent, unchanged from the week before. Broken down by CHSA, rates were eight per cent in North Delta (unchanged from the week before), 17 per cent in Ladner (up from 14) and eight per cent in Tsawwassen (down from 11).

RELATED: Everyone 18+ in B.C. can now access free rapid tests (March 23, 2022)

The dashboard also shows breakdowns of vaccine coverage across the CHSAs by age (5+, 5-11, 12-17, 18+, 18-49, 50+ and 70+) and by whether people have received one, two or three doses.

As of Feb. 14, dose rates for the age category 12+ were replaced by rates for ages 5+. Under that new age category, 95 per cent of people had received at least their first does of vaccine as of March 21, unchanged from the week before, while 91 per cent of residents had received their second dose, unchanged from the week before. Fifty-six per cent of residents five and over had received their third dose of vaccine, unchanged from the week before.

Broken down by CHSA, that’s 94 per cent first dose coverage in North Delta (unchanged), 96 per cent in Ladner (unchanged), and 94 per cent in Tsawwassen (unchanged). In terms of second dose rates, that’s 91 per cent in North Delta (up one per cent), 93 per cent in Ladner (unchanged) and 91 per cent in Tsawwassen (unchanged). Third dose rates by CHSA were not available.

SEE ALSO: Canada’s international development minister urges WHO to approve Medicago vaccine (March 21, 2022)

First dose rates were slightly higher when limited to adults 18 and over: 97 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged from the week before), 97 for North Delta (unchanged), 97 for Ladner (unchanged) and 95 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were 95 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 96 for North Delta (unchanged), 96 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Sixty-three per cent of Deltans 18 and over had received a third dose of vaccine, up one per cent from the week before. Third dose rates by CHSA were not available.

For kids aged 12-17, first dose rates as of March 21 were 97 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 97 for North Delta (unchanged), 100 for Ladner (unchanged) and 95 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were 95 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 94 for North Delta (unchanged), 98 for Ladner (unchanged) and 93 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Thirty-eight per cent of Deltans 12-17 years old had received a third dose of vaccine, up one 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 64 per cent (unchanged), North Delta at 59 (unchanged), Ladner at 72 (unchanged) and Tsawwassen at 71 (unchanged). Forty per cent of kids ages 5-11 had received a second dose of vaccine, up three per cent. Second dose rates by CHSA were not available.

SEE ALSO: Legacy and language around masks will be debated long after pandemic recedes: experts (March 24, 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 (unchanged from the week before). Broken down by CHSA, rates were 95 for North Delta (unchanged), 96 for Ladner (unchanged) and 96 for 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 95 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).

Seventy-seven per cent of those 50 and over had received a third dose of vaccine, unchanged from the week before. Broken down by CHSA, that’s 72 per cent in North Delta (unchanged), 81 per cent in Ladner (unchanged) and 81 per cent in Tsawwassen (unchanged).

For those aged 18-49, first dose coverage was 98 per cent for Delta overall (unchanged), 99 for North Delta (unchanged), 99 for Ladner (unchanged) and 95 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were lower — 96 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 97 for North Delta (unchanged), 96 for Ladner (unchanged) and 93 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Forty-seven per cent of adults 18-49 had received a third dose of vaccine, unchanged from the week before. 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 March 21was 84 per cent, unchanged from the week before. Broken down by CHSA, that’s 80 per cent in North Delta (unchanged), 87 per cent in Ladner (unchanged) and 88 per cent in Tsawwassen (unchanged).

SEE ALSO: B.C. issued 2,335 COVID-19 tickets over 14 months, but not all ended in paid fines (March 22, 2022)

Burnaby led other Fraser Health LHAs when it comes to first dose vaccine coverage for residents aged five and over with a rate of 96 per cent, unchanged from the week before. The next highest was Delta with 95 per cent (unchanged), followed by New Westminster and Surrey with 94 per cent (unchanged), Tri-Cities with 92 per cent (unchanged) and South Surrey/White Rock with 90 per cent (unchanged).

When it came to second dose rates, Burnaby led the way with 92 per cent (unchanged), followed by New West and Delta with 91 per cent (unchanged), Surrey and Tri-Cities with 89 per cent (unchanged for Surrey, up one per cent for Tri-Cities) and South Surrey/White Rock with 87 per cent (unchanged).

In terms of third dose rates, New Westminster led the way with 59 per cent (unchanged), followed by South Surrey/White Rock with 58 per cent (unchanged), Burnaby with 57 per cent (unchanged), Delta and Tri-Cities with 56 per cent (unchanged), and Surrey with 45 per cent (unchanged).

There are currently no outbreaks at any Delta long-term care, assisted living or independent living facility, or at any Delta elementary or secondary schools.

SEE ALSO: 1-in-3 B.C. health-care workers plan to quit within the next 2 years: poll (March 23, 2022)

On March 2, the BC CDC posted an updated map showing total cumulative cases by local health area from January, 2020 through to the end of February, 2022. The map shows there were a total of 8,674 COVID-19 cases in Delta through to Feb. 28, meaning there were 402 new cases last month, compared to 1,335 in January, 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 1,550 new cases in Surrey in February, compared to 8,089 in January, 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 5,539 new cases of COVID-19 in February, compared to 23,899 in January, 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 2,895 new cases in February, compared to 12,115 in January, 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: Bump in COVID-19 cases ‘not unexpected’ as health measures lifted, Tam says (March 18, 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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