New COVID-19 cases on the decline for much of Interior as vaccinations increase
Data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) shows that new COVID-19 cases in several Interior communities, including Vernon, are on the decline.
The BCCDC reports that between Sept.12 and 18 there were 112 new cases recorded in Vernon, which includes the communities of Coldstream and Lake Country, down from 165 the week before.
In Kelowna the number of new cases fell from 360 to 257 on a week-over -week basis, and in Summerland (West Kelowna) the new cases fell from 21 to five during that same time period.
Salmon Arm and Kamloops also saw fewer new cases last week than in the week before, though other communities, including Penticton, Arrow Lakes and South Okanagan saw more new cases than the week prior.
New cases numbers for week of Sept. 12 to 18, 2021
Vernon — 112 (down by 53)
Enderby — 28 (up by two)
Armstrong-Spallumcheen — 31 (same as the week before)
Salmon Arm — 78 (down by 26)
Central Okanagan — 257 (down by 103)
Kamloops — 158 (up by 112)
Summerland – five (down by 16)
Penticton — 53 (up by six)
South Okanagan — 31 (up by eight)
Kettle Valley — four (down by eight)
Grand Forks — 24 (down by eight)
Nelson — 11 (down by 30)
Golden — four (down by 13)
Revelstoke — 12 (same as the week before)
Arrow Lakes — four (up by three)
The BCCDC also released vaccination rates for the communities as of Sept. 27.
The figures show that 81 per cent of Vernon and area residents over the age of 12 have received their first dose, while 73 per cent of eligible Vernonites have received both doses.
Vaccination rates for area communities as of Sept. 27 (first doses, second doses)
Vernon — 81%, 73%
Enderby — 69%, 61%
Armstrong-Spallumcheen — 75%, 67%
Salmon Arm — 78%, 70%
Central Okanagan — 85%, 76%
Kamloops — 86%, 78%
Summerland – 85%, 79%
Penticton — 85%, 78%
South Okanagan — 79%, 88%
Kettle Valley — 70%, 61%
Grand Forks — 78%, 70%
Nelson — 77%, 69%
Golden — 89%, 80%
Revelstoke — 92%, 82%
Arrow Lakes — 76%, 69%