The number of COVID-19 cases in Delta fell again last week after setting a new high-water mark 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 275 cases for the week of Jan. 9 to 15, 163 fewer than the week before and 494 fewer than the record 769 cases the week ending Jan. 1.
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The overall number of active cases in the Fraser Health region fell by 3,575 last week to 5,505. Two 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.
Eleven of the region’s 13 LHAs saw decreases from the previous week, with the biggest drops in Surrey (1,972, down 988( and Tri-Cities (643, down 1,200).
Two LHAs saw their numbers increase last week: Abbotsford (351, up 37) and Chilliwack (195, up 26).
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Data shared on the BC CDC’s COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard shows Delta had an overall daily average of 31 new cases per 100,000 people for the week ending Jan. 17, down from 50 the week before, representing 252 new cases.
Broken down by community health service areas (CHSAs), that’s a rate of 32 cases per 100,000 people in North Delta (down from 49 the week ending Jan. 10, representing 143 new cases), 24 in Ladner (down from 63 the week ending Jan. 10, representing 47 new cases) and 40 in Tsawwassen (down from 68 the week ending Jan. 10, representing 58 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. 17, 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. 17 was 30 per cent, down from 35 the week before. Broken down by CHSA, rates were 38 per cent in North Delta (down from 41), 19 per cent in Ladner (down from 34) and 27 per cent in Tsawwassen (up from 24).
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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. 17, Delta continued to lead other LHAs in Fraser Health with 96 per cent of adults aged 12 and over having received at least their first does of vaccine, unchanged from the week before. Delta also led in second doses among residents 12 and over — 94 per cent, also unchanged from the week before.
Broken down by CHSA, that’s 97 per cent first dose coverage in North Delta (up one per cent 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 94 per cent in North Delta (unchanged), 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 (up one per cent), 96 for Ladner (unchanged) and 95 for Tsawwassen (up one per cent). Second dose rates were also similar: 94 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged), 95 for North Delta (up one per cent), 95 for Ladner (unchanged) and 93 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).
For kids aged 12-17, first dose rates as of Jan. 17 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), 91 for North Delta (unchanged), 97 for Ladner (unchanged) and 92 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).
The dashboard also shows first dose coverage among kids ages 5-11. Delta as a whole stood at 53 per cent (up four per cent), North Delta at 46 (up four per cent), Ladner at 63 (up three per cent) and Tsawwassen at 63 (up three per cent).
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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 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), 93 for North Delta (unchanged), 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 (up one per cent). Second dose rates were lower — 95 per cent for Delta as a whole (up one per cent), 96 for North Delta (up one per cent), 95 for Ladner (up one per cent) and 91 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).
The dashboard also includes third dose/booster coverage for those 70 and over, and the overall rate for Delta the week of Jan. 17was 79 per cent, up two per cent from the week before. Broken down by CHSA, that’s 73 per cent in North Delta (up three per cent), 84 per cent in Ladner (up two per cent) and 84 per cent in Tsawwassen (up one per cent).
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Other than Delta, the Fraser Health LHAs with the highest first dose vaccine coverage for adults aged 12 and over were Surrey and Burnaby with 96 per cent, unchanged for the week before. The next highest were New Westminster with 95 per cent (unchanged), followed by Tri-Cities with 93 (unchanged) and South Surrey/White Rock with 92 (unchanged).
When it came to second dose rates, Burnaby and Surrey each had 94 per cent (unchanged for Burnaby, up one per cent for Surrey), 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).
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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.
As of Jan. 20, there were no outbreaks at any Delta long-term care, assisted living or independent living facilities, 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. 20, Fraser Health’s website listed no outbreaks at any schools — in Delta or otherwise — though the site was last updated on Jan. 7.
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editor@northdeltareporter.com
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