The number of COVID-19 cases in Delta fell slightly last week, continuing to decline from the all-time high recorded the week ending Jan. 1.
The latest weekly map released by the BC Centre for Disease Control showing the geographic distribution of COVID-19 cases by local health area (LHA) of residence shows Delta had 259 cases the week of Jan. 16 to 22, 16 fewer than the week before. Cases in the city hi 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 decreased last week — 4,535, down from 5,505. Three 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.
Ten of the region’s 13 LHAs saw decreases from the previous week, with the biggest drops in Surrey (1,449, down 523), Burnaby (498, down 182) and Tri-Cities (536, down 107).
Three LHAs saw their numbers increase last week: Abbotsford (441, up 63), Chilliwack (237, up 42) and Mission (95, up 23).
THE LATEST: 13 more COVID-19 deaths in B.C. Thursday, cases still above 2,000 (Jan. 27, 2022)
Data shared on the BC CDC’s COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard shows Delta had an overall daily average of 32 new cases per 100,000 people for the week ending Jan. 24, up slightly from 31 the week before, representing 260 new cases.
Broken down by community health service areas (CHSAs), that’s a rate of 31 cases per 100,000 people in North Delta (down from 32 the week ending Jan. 17, representing 137 new cases), 40 in Ladner (up from 24 the week ending Jan. 17, representing 79 new cases) and 25 in Tsawwassen (down from 40 the week ending Jan. 17, representing 43 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 two per cent of cases in B.C. the week ending Jan. 24, unchanged from 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 Jan. 24 was 39 per cent, up from 30 the week before. Broken down by CHSA, rates were 44 per cent in North Delta (up from 38), 38 per cent in Ladner (up from 19) and 31 per cent in Tsawwassen (up from 27).
SEE ALSO: B.C. vaccine card order extended to June 30 as Omicron spreads (Jan. 25, 2022)
The dashboard also shows breakdowns of vaccine coverage across the CHSAs by age (5-11, 12+, 12-17, 18+, 18-49 and 50+) and by whether people have received their first or second dose — or in the case of those 70+, their third dose.
As of Jan. 24, 96 per cent of adults aged 12 and over in Delta had received at least their first does of vaccine, unchanged from the week before, while 94 per cent of residents 12 and over had received their second dose, also unchanged from the week before.
Broken down by CHSA, that’s 97 per cent first dose coverage in North Delta (unchanged from the week before), 97 per cent in Ladner (unchanged), and 95 per cent in Tsawwassen (up one per cent). In terms of second dose rates, that’s 95 per cent in North Delta (up one per cent), 95 per cent in Ladner (unchanged) and 93 per cent in Tsawwassen (unchanged).
First dose rates were virtually identical when limited to adults 18 and over: 96 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged from the week before), 97 for North Delta (unchanged), 96 for Ladner (unchanged) and 95 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were also similar: 94 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 95 for North Delta (unchanged), 95 for Ladner (unchanged) and 93 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).
For kids aged 12-17, first dose rates as of Jan. 24 were 96 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 95 for North Delta (unchanged), 99 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were 93 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 92 for North Delta (up one per cent), 98 for Ladner (up one per cent) and 92 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).
The dashboard also shows first dose coverage among kids ages 5-11. Delta as a whole stood at 57 per cent (up four per cent), North Delta at 50 (up four per cent), Ladner at 66 (up three per cent) and Tsawwassen at 65 (up two per cent).
SEE ALSO: Boosters work against Omicron, B.C. kids’ second doses urged (Jan. 26, 2022)
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 95 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 (up one per cent), 95 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).
For those aged 18-49, first dose coverage was 97 per cent for Delta overall (unchanged), 98 for North Delta (unchanged), 97 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged). Second dose rates were lower — 95 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 96 for North Delta (unchanged), 95 for Ladner (unchanged) and 92 for Tsawwassen (up one per cent).
The dashboard also includes third dose/booster coverage for those 70 and over, and the overall rate for Delta the week of Jan. 24was 81 per cent, up two per cent from the week before. Broken down by CHSA, that’s 75 per cent in North Delta (up two per cent), 85 per cent in Ladner (up one per cent) and 85 per cent in Tsawwassen (up one per cent).
SEE ALSO: Survey reveals widening gap between views of double-vaxxed and boosted people (Jan. 27, 2022)
After months of Delta leading other Fraser Health LHAs when it comes to first dose vaccine coverage for adults aged 12 and over, Surrey last week passed all others with a rate of 97 per cent. Tied for second were Delta and Burnaby with 96 per cent (unchanged from the week before), followed by New Westminster with 95 per cent (unchanged), Tri-Cities with 93 (unchanged) and South Surrey/White Rock with 92 (unchanged).
When it came to second dose rates, Delta, Burnaby and Surrey each had 94 per cent (unchanged for all three), followed by New Westminster with 93 per cent (unchanged), Tri-Cities with 91 per cent (unchanged) and South Surrey/White Rock with 90 per cent (unchanged).
SEE ALSO: Pfizer begins testing omicron-matched COVID shots in adults (Jan. 26, 2022)
On Jan. 5, the BC CDC posted an updated map showing total cumulative cases by local health area from January 2020 through to the end of December 2021. The map shows there were a total of 6,937 COVID-19 cases in Delta through to Dec. 31, meaning there were 1,297 new cases last month, compared to 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 4,027 new cases in Surrey in December, compared to 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 17,579 new cases of COVID-19 in December, compared to 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 10,562 new cases in December, compared to 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.
On Tuesday (Jan. 25), Fraser Health has declared an outbreak at Mountain View Manor in Ladner after four residents and six staff members at the Fraser Health owned and operated long-term care facility tested positive for COVID-19.
READ MORE: COVID-19 outbreak declared at Delta long-term care facility (Jan. 25, 2022)
As of Jan. 27, there were no other outbreaks at any Delta long-term care, assisted living or independent living facilities, and there were no public exposure notifications in the city.
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 Jan. 27, Fraser Health’s website listed no outbreaks at any schools — in Delta or otherwise — though the site was last updated on Jan. 7.
SEE ALSO: COVID-19 led to more than half-a-year drop in life expectancy in 2020 (Jan. 25, 2022)
editor@northdeltareporter.com
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