Interior still the hot zone for new COVID-19 cases

Interior Health is still leading B.C in new COVID-19 cases, but its share of the cases is lower.

The province reported 689 new infections on Thursday, the highest daily number since the 717 on Aug. 13.

There were 278 new cases in the IH region (40.3 per cent, down from 50+ per cent earlier this month) while Fraser Health had 219 cases for 31.7 per cent.

Greater Vernon had 109 new COVID-19 cases last week, according to figures released by B.C.’s Health Ministry.

The Central Okanagan continues to be a hot spot, with 922 new cases, an increase of 78 from the week before.

Armstrong-Spallumcheen had 16 new infections, with 13 in Enderby and 48 for Salmon Arm.

Interior Health now has 3,368 active cases, which is 56 per cent the province’s 5,982 active infections.

Of the active cases, 121 people are in hospital and 56 are in intensive care.

In the past 24 hours, two new deaths have been reported, one each in Interior and Northern Health, for an overall total of 1,784.

There are 11 COVID outbreaks in long-term care facilities in the province, with eight in the Interior.

More than 7.28 million COVID vaccines have been administered in B.C., with 82.9 per cent of eligible people 12 and older getting one dose and 74.0 per cent fully vaccinated.

Update on outbreaks:

·        Nelson Jubilee Manor has four cases: one resident and three staff, with one death connected to the outbreak.

·        Kootenay Street Village in Cranbrook has three cases: one resident and two staff.

·        Brookhaven Care Centre in West Kelowna has 28 cases: nine residents and 19 staff.

·        Cottonwoods Care Centre long-term care in Kelowna has 25 cases: 16 residents and nine staff.

·        Hawthorn Park assisted/independent living in Kelowna has five cases: one resident and four staff.

·        David Lloyd Jones long-term care in Kelowna has 27 cases: 19 residents and eight staff.

·        Village at Mill Creek assisted living/independent living in Kelowna has two cases: one resident and one staff.

·        Nicola Meadows assisted living/independent living in Merritt has five cases: two residents and three staff.