Amid tighter testing restrictions, it appears the Tri-Cities has reached a new milestone for recorded COVID-19 cases this year.
Between Aug. 14 and 20, the region's local health area detected a total of 21 lab-confirmed infections, according to the latest stats available by the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
This is the fewest number of cases found in a single week across Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra since start of 2022.
And it marks a decrease of 40 per cent from the 35 detected in the previous count — Aug. 7 and 13.
The numbers are collected weekly by public health officials and published today (Aug. 25) in the BCCDC's newest Geographic Distribution of COVID-19 by Local Health Area of Case Residence data.
Prior to the new number, the fewest total of infections calculated in the Tri-Cities was two months ago when 23 were found between June 19 and 25.
The 21 also represents a significant drop compared to the same week one year ago — an 86 per cent drop from 150 COVID-19 cases confirmed between Aug. 15 and 21, 2021.
As of this publication, the Tri-Cities has the sixth fewest infections in its local health vicinity compared to others across B.C.
Surrey remains the local health vicinity with the most in B.C. at 59 in the latest data, followed by Central Okanagan (39), Victoria (35), Burnaby (24) and the Saanich Peninsula.
While government data can be unreliable in the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, it also appears B.C. has recorded its highest death count linked to the virus since June 16.
There were 33 COVID-19 deaths in the week that ended Aug. 20.
The province raised its overall COVID-19 death toll to 4,097, since the first death was recorded in March 2020, in North Vancouver. That count is up by 60, compared with the previous week. On August 18, the province said there were 24 new deaths in the week up to August 13, for a total of 4,037.
Data for new COVID-19 deaths includes anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 within 30 days and then died – a calculation that could include people who tested positive and then died in car accidents.
Glacier Media has asked the Ministry of Health why the death toll consistently rises more than the number of new deaths but has not received a satisfactory explanation. The ministry's most recent response was that the data "may be incomplete," but there has never been any updates to previously announced weekly death totals.
Tri-Cities kids' clinic
Meanwhile, vaccinations against the virus across the Tri-Cities remain unchanged, maintaining 92, 90 and 60 per cent single-, double- and triple-dose average rates for eligible residents aged five and up.
But those numbers could change as parents with kids between six months and four years old have been welcomed to book appointments to receive the first of two modified doses of Moderna's mRNA vaccine.
Fraser Health is utilizing the Newport Public Health Unit across from Port Moody city hall (200-205 Newport Dr.) as the Tri-Cities' regional children's vaccination clinic. Standalone clinics are also set to offer the pediatric vaccine.
As of Aug. 2, appointments can be booked during the following hours:
- 9 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. (weekdays)
- 9 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. (weekends)
Parents and guardians can register their kids online via B.C.'s GetVaccinated online portal; an invitation to book an appointment will then be sent via text, email or phone call.
You can also visit the province's website for more information or call 1-833-838-2323.
Multi-vaccination clinic
Fraser Health also has a general clinic at Coquitlam's Poirier Admin Building (640 Poirier St.) for those interested in getting a first, second or third dose against COVID-19.
The clinic is open seven days a week from 9:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Other vaccines offered at the clinic include:
- 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
