It appears the Tri-Cities saw more locally-detected cases of COVID-19 recently — a week after recording its first decrease in more than a month.
Despite tighter testing restrictions, the region is back in triple digits after provincial public health officials found 109 lab-confirmed infections between April 17 and 23.
That's a 15 per cent increase compared to the 95 found from April 10 to 16 across Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra.
The data is collected and published in the BC Centre for Disease Control's (BCCDC) latest available Geographic Distribution of COVID-19 by Local Health Area of Case Residence report.
The new number is the fourth highest case count in B.C. — second in Fraser Health's regional authority — following Surrey (218), Central Okanagan (157) and Victoria (129).
According to new provincial data, there were 2,276 new known infections of COVID-19 as of April 23.
That's a 12 per cent increase compared to 2,036 from the previous week.
There are now 570 people in B.C. hospitals who have tested positive for the virus, up by 85 from the 485 hospitalized COVID-19 patients one week ago.
Of those, 47 are in ICUs, up from 38 one week ago.
Outbreaks
A COVID-19 outbreak ended inside Eagle Ridge Hospital this week.
Fraser Health lifted the alert within an acute-care medicine unit at the Port Moody facility and no deaths linked to the virus were recorded, but it's not known how many cases were tallied.
Meanwhile, the authority says a respiratory illness outbreak is in effect for Hawthorne Seniors Care Community (2111 Hawthorne Ave.).
Three residents at the Port Coquitlam nursing home are infected with influenza as of April 21, a Fraser Health spokesperson confirms to the Tri-City News.
Extra measures are being implemented to prevent any further potential spread, including an anti-viral treatment to unaffected residents and to those who are infected "under the direction of their physician."
Designated visitors are also being restricted — as well as movement between the impacted areas — to reduce the chances of exposure, but essential visits are still allowed.
Vaccination update
The Tri-Cities is nearing the 60 per cent threshold for eligible people aged 12 years and older that have chosen to get a booster dose against COVID-19.
At exactly 58 per cent, as of this publication, it's the fourth highest triple-vaccination rate in all of Fraser Health.
Port Moody–Anmore–Belcarra's 60 per cent average is one of the highest COVID-19 booster-shot rate among Fraser Health municipalities. Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam are holding steady at 57 per cent each.
The BCCDC says the Tri-Cities maintains 92 and 89 per cent first- and second-dose rates — both have not budged since earlier this year.
However, Fraser Health is continuing to meet what demand is left for COVID-19 vaccinations by hosting a mass clinic in Coquitlam.
The authority's immunization and testing centre is set up at Coquitlam Central SkyTrain Station (2900 Barnet Hwy.) in its park-and-ride overflow lot.
Its operating hours are:
- 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Entrance off Mariner Way — east side of Rona. Proceed down the ramp and turn right
- The address will direct you to the main lot on the left but COVID-19 Services are located in the overflow lot to the right
- Do not cut through the Rona parking lot. Please follow the signs
Anyone seeking a vaccine against COVID-19 is encouraged to register via B.C.'s GetVaccinated online portal or call 1-833-838-2323.
You can also visit the province's website for more information on its COVID-19 immunization plan.
A multi-vaccination clinic is also in place at the Poirier Admin Building (640 Poirier St.), giving parents and guardians with kids as young as four months old the chance to receive a number of different vaccinations.
This includes:
- COVID-19 vaccine
- For eligible children and adolescents aged five and older
- Tdap-IPV vaccine
- Protects against tetanus diphtheria, whooping cough and polio
- MMRV vaccine
- Protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox
- with files from Glen Korstrom, Business In Vancouver
