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Delta sees highest-ever weekly COVID-19 case count

Delta had 769 cases for the week of Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, up 336 from the week before
27706158_web1_220106-NDR-M-Active-cases-by-LHA-Dec-26-to-Jan-1
This map illustrates the number of active COVID-19 cases in Greater Vancouver from Dec. 25, 2021 to Jan. 1, 2022. (BC Centre for Disease Control image)

COVID-19 continued to surge in Delta in the week leading up to New Year’s Day, setting a new high-water mark for the number of cases in the city — for the second week in a row.

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 769 cases for the week of Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, a jump of 336 one week after cases in the city shot up by 351.

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The overall number of active cases in the Fraser Health region more than doubled last week — 11,314 compared to 5,285 the week before.

All of the region’s 13 LHAs saw increases from the previous week, with cases more than doubling in nine of them. The biggest jumps were seen in Surrey (2,619, up 1,464), Tri-Cities (2,055, up 1,259) and Burnaby (1,632, up 833).

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Data shared on the BC CDC’s COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard shows Delta had an overall daily average of 100 new cases per 100,000 people for the week ending Jan. 3, up from 80 the week ending Dec. 29, representing 796 new cases Dec. 28 to Jan. 3.

Broken down by community health service areas (CHSAs), that’s a rate of 85 cases per 100,000 people in North Delta (up from 64 the week ending Dec. 29, representing 370 new cases), 137 in Ladner (up from 106 the week ending Dec. 29, representing 263 new cases) and 94 in Tsawwassen (up from 91 the week ending Dec. 29, representing 162 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 four per cent of cases in B.C. the week ending Jan. 3, same as the week ending Dec. 29. 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 Jan. 3 was 34 per cent, up from 23 the week ending Dec. 29. Broken down by CHSA, rates were 37 per cent in North Delta (up from 23), 35 per cent in Ladner (up from 23) and 28 per cent in Tsawwassen (up from 21).

SEE ALSO: Surrey records its highest-ever weekly COVID-19 case count (Jan. 6, 2022)

SEE ALSO: Provinces to receive large shipments of rapid tests this month: prime minister (Jan. 5, 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 — or in the case of those 70+, their third dose.

As of Jan. 3, 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 weeks before. Delta also led in second doses among residents 12 and over — 94 per cent, unchanged form the week before.

Broken down by CHSA, that’s 96 per cent first dose coverage in North Delta (unchanged from the weeks 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 (unchanged), 95 per cent in Ladner (unchanged) and 93 per cent in Tsawwassen (unchanged).

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

For kids aged 12-17, first dose rates as of Jan. 3 were 95 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 95 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 (unchanged), 97 for Ladner (unchanged) and 92 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).

The dashboard also shows first dose coverage among kids ages 5-11. Delta as a whole stood at 43 per cent (up two per cent from the week ending Dec. 29), North Delta at 35 (up three), Ladner at 54 (up two) and Tsawwassen at 55 (up three).

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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 weeks previous). 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), 93 for North Delta (unchanged), 95 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).

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

The dashboard also includes third dose/booster coverage for those 70 and over, and the overall rate for Delta the week of Jan. 3 was 74 per cent, up from 73 the week ending Dec. 29. Broken down by CHSA, that’s 67 per cent in North Delta (up from 65), 79 in Ladner (up from 77) and 80 in Tsawwassen (up from 79).

SEE ALSO: Working from home, staggering shifts urged as Omicron causes business uncertainty in B.C. (Jan. 4, 2022)

Other than Delta, the Fraser Health LHAs with the highest first dose vaccine coverage for adults aged 12 and over were Surrey and Burnaby with 96 per cent (unchanged for Surrey, up one per cent for Burnaby). The next highest was New Westminster with 95 per cent (unchanged), followed by Tri-Cities with 93 (unchanged) and South Surrey/White Rock with 92 (unchanged).

When it came to second dose rates, Burnaby and Surrey each had 93 per cent (unchanged for both). The next highest was New Westminster with 92 per cent (unchanged), followed by Tri-Cities (91, unchanged) and South Surrey/White Rock (90, unchanged).

SEE ALSO: B.C. hospitals see more COVID-19 admissions in Omicron surge (Jan. 4, 2022)

On Jan. 5, the BC CDC posted an updated map showing total cumulative cases by local health area from January 2020 through to the end of December 2021. The map shows there were a total of 6,937 COVID-19 cases in Delta through to Dec. 31, meaning there were 1,297 new cases last month, compared to 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 4,027 new cases in Surrey in December, compared to 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 17,579 new cases of COVID-19 in December, compared to 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 10,562 new cases in December, compared to 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.

As of Jan. 6, 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 Jan. 6, Fraser Health’s website listed exposures at only one Delta school: Sands Secondary (Dec. 23).

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: Overcoming COVID-19, other barriers ‘a wild ride’ says BCHL commissioner (Jan. 6, 2022)

SEE ALSO: Erin O’Toole pushes for unvaccinated Canadians to be accommodated amid Omicron wave (Jan. 6, 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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