There were half as many COVID-19 cases in Delta last week as there were the week before, according to the latest data from the BC Centre for Disease Control.
The latest weekly map released by the BCCDC showing the geographic distribution of COVID-19 cases by local health area (LHA) of residence shows Delta had 104 cases the week of Feb. 6 to 12, 102 fewer than the week before. Cases in the city hit an all-time high of 769 the week ending Jan. 1 as the Omicron variant surged across the region.
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The overall number of active cases in the Fraser Health region also fell last week — 1,628, down from 2,567. Six weeks prior, case totals hit an all-time high of 11,314, more than double the 5,285 cases identified the week ending Dec. 25.
All 13 of the region’s LHAs saw decreases from the previous week, with the biggest drops in Delta, Surrey (455, down 296), Tri-Cities (165, down 86) and and Abbotsford (159, down 82).
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Data shared on the BC CDC’s COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard shows Delta had an overall daily average of 11 new cases per 100,000 people for the week ending Feb. 14, down from 24 the week before, representing 87 new cases.
Broken down by community health service area (CHSA), that’s a rate of nine cases per 100,000 people in North Delta (down from 20 the week ending Feb. 7, representing 41 new cases), 17 in Ladner (down from 39 the week ending Feb. 7, representing 33 new cases) and seven in Tsawwassen (down from 17 the week ending Feb. 7, representing 13 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 one per cent of cases in B.C. the week ending Feb. 14, down from two per cent the week before. 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 Feb. 14 was 27 per cent, down from 37 the week before. Broken down by CHSA, rates were 31 per cent in North Delta (down from 34 the week before), 29 per cent in Ladner (down from 47) and 18 per cent in Tsawwassen (down from 27).
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The dashboard also shows breakdowns of vaccine coverage across the CHSAs by age (5+, 5-11, 12-17, 18+, 18-49, 50+ and 70+) and by whether people have received their first or second dose — and in some cases, their third dose.
As of Feb. 14, dose rates for the age category 12+ were replaced by rates for ages 5+. Under that new age category, 94 per cent of people had received at least their first does of vaccine, while 89 per cent of residents had received their second dose. Fifty-two per cent of residents five and over had received their third dose of vaccine.
Broken down by CHSA, that’s 94 per cent first dose coverage in North Delta, 95 per cent in Ladner, and 93 per cent in Tsawwassen. In terms of second dose rates, that’s 89 per cent in North Delta, 90 per cent in Ladner and 89 per cent in Tsawwassen. Third dose rates by CHSA were not available.
First dose rates were slightly higher when limited to adults 18 and over: 97 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged from the week before), 97 for North Delta (unchanged), 97 for Ladner (unchanged) and 95 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were 95 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 95 for North Delta (unchanged), 95 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Sixty per cent of Deltans 18 and over had received a third dose of vaccine, up two per cent. (Third dose rates by CHSA were not available.)
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For kids aged 12-17, first dose rates as of Feb. 14 were 97 per cent for Delta as a whole (up one per cent), 96 for North Delta (unchanged), 100 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were 94 per cent for Delta as a whole (up one per cent), 92 for North Delta (unchanged), 99 for Ladner (up one per cent) and 92 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Twenty-two per cent of Deltans 12-17 years old had received a third dose of vaccine, up 14 per cent. (Third dose rates by CHSA were not available.)
The dashboard also shows first dose coverage among kids ages 5-11. Delta as a whole stood at 63 per cent (up one per cent), North Delta at 57 (up one per cent), Ladner at 71 (up one per cent) and Tsawwassen at 70 (up one per cent). Eighteen per cent of kids ages 5-11 had received a second dose of vaccine, up 10 per cent. (Second dose rates by CHSA were not available.)
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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 96 per cent (unchanged from the week before). 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), 94 for North Delta (unchanged), 95 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Seventy-five per cent of those 50 and over had received a third dose of vaccine, up one per cent. (Third dose rates by CHSA were not available.)
For those aged 18-49, first dose coverage was 98 per cent for Delta overall (unchanged), 99 for North Delta (unchanged), 98 for Ladner (up one per cent) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were lower — 96 per cent for Delta as a whole (up one per cent), 96 for North Delta (unchanged), 95 for Ladner (unchanged) and 92 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Forty-three per cent of adults 18-49 had received a third dose of vaccine, up three per cent. (Third dose rates by CHSA were not available.)
The dashboard also includes third dose coverage for those 70 and over, and the overall rate for Delta the week of Feb. 14was 83 per cent, unchanged from the week before. Broken down by CHSA, that’s 79 per cent in North Delta (up one per cent), 86 per cent in Ladner (unchanged) and 87 per cent in Tsawwassen (unchanged).
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Burnaby led other Fraser Health LHAs when it comes to first dose vaccine coverage for residents aged five and over with a rate of 95 per cent. (Dose rates for the age category 12+ were replaced by rates for ages 5+ the week ending Feb. 14, so there is no data from previous weeks to compare it to.) The next highest were Delta and New Westminster with 94 per cent, followed by Surrey with 93 per cent, Tri-Cities with 91 per cent and South Surrey/White Rock with 90 per cent.
When it came to second dose rates, Burnaby led the way with 90 per cent, followed by Delta and New Westminster with 89 per cent, Surrey with 88 per cent, and Tri-Cities and South Surrey/White Rock with 86 per cent.
In terms of third dose rates, South Surrey/White Rock led the way with 55 per cent, followed by New Westminster with 54 per cent, Delta, Burnaby and Tri-Cities with 52 per cent, and Surrey with 41 per cent.
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On Feb. 2, the BC CDC posted an updated map showing total cumulative cases by local health area from January, 2020 through to the end of January, 2022. The map shows there were a total of 8,272 COVID-19 cases in Delta through to Jan. 31, meaning there were 1,335 new cases last month, compared to 1,297 in December, 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 8,089 new cases in Surrey in January, compared to 4,027 in December, 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 23,899 new cases of COVID-19 in January, compared to 17,579 in December, 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 12,115 new cases in January, compared to 10,562 in December, 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.
There is currently only one outbreak at a Delta long-term care, assisted living or independent living facility. On Feb. 7, Fraser Health announced a COVID-19 outbreak at Good Samaritan Delta View Care Centre in East Delta after 14 residents at the Good Samaritan Society owned and operated long-term care facility had tested positive for COVID-19.
A weekly report from B.C.’s Health Ministry published Wednesday (Feb. 16) shows that as of Tuesday there were 49 cases associated with the outbreak — 40 residents and nine staff — and no deaths.
Fraser Health no longer issues notices for COVID exposures in schools, owing to the way the Omicron variant rapidly spreads, making contact tracing less effective and preventing public health officials from being able to contact everyone who tests positive.
“Public Health will continue to work with schools if, for example, there is a significant decrease in attendance that is atypical for the time of year, and actions are to be taken, such as notification to the parents and guardians of the affected grade or school community. In the event of a declared outbreak, Public Health will issue a public notification,” according to Fraser Health’s website.
As of Feb. 14, Fraser Health’s website listed no outbreaks at any schools — in Delta or otherwise.
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editor@northdeltareporter.com
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