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Tri-Cities see drop in COVID-19 infections a third straight week

Fraser Health grocery store workers aged 18 and older now eligible for vaccine
Kyle Balzer
Kyle Balzer
covid19
COVID-19 DNA. | File photo

Just like the rest of the province, local COVID-19 cases are trending downward.

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) reported 277 lab-confirmed infections in the Tri-Cities between April 25 and May 1, a decrease of 18% compared to the previous week.

BCCDC local health area Tri-Cities - May 6, 2021The BC Centre for Disease Control's COVID-19 local health area map for Metro Vancouver during the period of April 25 to May 1, 2021. By BCCDC

Between April 18 and 24, there were 341 cases across Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody.

The region peaked at 514 cases — the second most in the province after Surrey — two weeks earlier. 

The new data released today (May 6) placed Tri-Cities with the fourth-highest number of new COVID-19 cases in all of B.C., behind Surrey (1,671), Abbotsford (498) and Burnaby (309).

Its recorded total since the beginning of the pandemic — per the BCCDC — is now at 6,411, also the fourth-highest in the province since January 2020.

BCCDC local health area Tri-Cities since start - May 6, 2021The BC Centre for Disease Control's COVID-19 local health area map for Metro Vancouver since January 2020. By BCCDC

On May 5, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 572 positive tests for COVID-19 in B.C., marking the lowest 24-hour count since March 20.

Fraser Health accounted for 362 of those new cases — 63% of the total — for an overall authority count of 376,955 throughout the pandemic.

This has also included 847 deaths.

There are currently 4,464 active cases, 87 people in critical care among 300 hospitalizations in the region and 71,462 recoveries.

Fraser Health adult grocery store workers now eligible for vaccine

Fraser Health is calling on all grocery store workers 18 years and older to get vaccinated against COVID-19. 

The authority said all adult grocery store staff are now eligible to receive either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, according to a news release today (May 6).

Information on how to register for an appointment will be provided through employers or union representatives. 

Staff are required to provide identification and proof of employment, such as a pay stub or work ID, when they arrive to get a shot.

Meanwhile, the province's age-based vaccination campaign continues to target increasingly younger cohorts.

As of today, the province is booking vaccination appointments for anyone 49 years and over.

Those deemed "clinically extremely vulnerable," as well as pregnant women 16 and over are also eligible to book an appointment. More information is available at the province's "Get Vaccinated" portal.

Further, anyone over 40 years old living in one of the province's "high-transmission" neighbourhoods — including such communities as Port Coquitlam, Squamish and Renfrew-Collingwood in Vancouver — is eligible to receive a vaccination. Enter your postal code here to see if you are eligible.

- with files from Stefan Labbe, Tri-City News