B.C. has been experiencing an uncomfortable incline in the number of COVID-19 cases detected in the later stages of summer.
Two-week testing brought daily counts back into triple digits in late July and the Tri-Cities is seeing its own local health area total increasing as a result.
Between July 25 and 31 — the latest Geographic Distribution of COVID-19 by Local Health Area of Case Residence — the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) reported 27 lab-confirmed infections across Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra.
That's a 68.75% increase and 11 more cases compared to the 16 found between July 18 and 24.
The Tri-Cities has seen small spikes in COVID-19 infections now for three consecutive weeks dating back to July 11, 2021.
The region's new count is the fifth-highest among other Fraser Health neighbourhoods behind Burnaby (54), Surrey (53), Langley (37) and Abbotsford (28).
Experts say the vast majority of new cases in the province are believed to be the Delta variant, which has shown to transmit much more easily than previous strains of the virus. This is likely one of the causes for the recent spike in cases.
UBC professor Sarah Otto said the variant, which first became prominent in India, is displacing the one that originated in the United Kingdom.
"Delta is now the most common variant in the province, with its frequency doubling every week relative to Alpha," said Otto, who is an expert in the university's zoology department on the mathematical models of pandemic growth and evolution.
"The Delta variant increases the viral load by about one-thousand-fold, making it much easier to catch and transmit."
On Thursday (Aug. 5), B.C. health officials reported 82 new cases in Fraser Health — out of 402 in the province — a to-date pandemic total of 86,809.
The virus has claimed 925 lives in the authority and currently has four people in critical care among 15 hospitalizations.
TRI-CITY SURVEILLANCE DATA
The Tri-Cities saw a significant bump in terms of eligible residents aged 12 years and older that have received a second COVID-19 vaccine jab.
In the latest one-week data by the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), the region administered enough doses to reach a 73% collective average between July 27 and Aug. 2.
It represents a 5% bump compared to the previous count of 68% between July 20 and 26.
The numbers broken down among the five surveillance neighbourhoods are as follows:
North Coquitlam
- 1% positivity rate
- 83% of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 72% of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
Southwest Coquitlam
- 1% positivity rate
- 85% of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 73% of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
Southeast Coquitlam
- 1% positivity rate
- 84% of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 72% of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
Port Coquitlam
- 1% positivity rate
- 83% of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 72% of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
Port Moody-Anmore-Belcarra
- 0% positivity rate
- 85% of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 76% of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
As of this publication, 3,785,216 British Columbians have had at least one dose of vaccine; 3,172,287 people are fully vaccinated with two doses.
The government estimates that this translates into 81.7% of the eligible population being vaccinated at least once, and 68.4% of the eligible population being vaccinated twice.
The B.C. government's most recent estimate of the province's total population is 5,147,712, so that means that slightly more than 73.5% of B.C.'s total population has had at least one dose of vaccine, and 61.6% of the province's total population has had two doses.
VACCINATION CLINICS
Coquitlam's Poirier Forum remains open daily for first- or second-dose drop-ins between 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
A "gratitude wall" has also been set up in allowing residents to express support for healthcare and front-line workers and their efforts over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The testing and immunization centre at Coquitlam Central Station Park and Ride overflow lot also remains open under new operating hours:
- 2900 Barnet Hwy.
- 9:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. = Monday to Friday
- 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. = Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
- 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
- with files from Glen Korstrom, Business In Vancouver, and The Canadian Press
