This map illustrates the number of active COVID-19 cases in Greater Vancouver from March 21 to 27, 2021. (BC Centre for Disease Control image)

Active COVID-19 cases in Delta continue to climb

177 active cases for the week of March 21 to 27, the most in the city since the week ending Dec. 5

Active COVID-19 cases in Delta jumped again last week, drawing closer to the highest total since health officials began releasing city-level numbers in early December.

Every Wednesday, the BC Centre for Disease Control releases a map showing the geographic distribution of COVID-19 cases by local health area of residence. The latest weekly map shows Delta had 177 cases for the week of March 21 to 27 — 36 more than the week previous week.

The number of active cases in the city has been climbing for eight straight weeks — from a low of 59 the week ending Jan. 30 to a previous high of 141 for the week ending March 20 — and last week’s numbers are the second highest since the BC CDC began releasing weekly case totals by local health area. The previous high was the week ending Dec. 5 — the first weekly map released by the BC CDC — with 208 cases.

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The overall number of active cases in the Fraser Health region increased significantly last week to 2,821 — 606 more cases than the week before and the highest number of active cases since the week ending Dec. 19 (2,839).

Twelve of the 13 local health areas in the region saw increases over the previous week, most notably in Surrey, South Surrey/White Rock and the Tri-Cities, which saw their active case counts climb by 207, 84 and 102, respectively.

Wednesday’s map release came as health officials reported a record 1,013 new COVID-19 cases in the province — 458 of those in the Fraser Health region — and three more deaths.

THE LATEST: B.C. hits record high of 1,013 new COVID-19 cases, 3 deaths (March 31, 2021)

From the start of the pandemic through the end of February 2021, there were a total of 2,723 COVID-19 cases in Delta, with 317 new cases from Jan. 31, 2021. The BC CDC should be releasing updated monthly cumulative case counts in the coming days.

Meanwhile, there are currently no outbreaks at any Delta long-term care, assisted living or independent living facilities, and as of Thursday morning (April 1), Fraser Health listed no exposures at any Delta schools on it’s website .

Fraser Health defines exposure as “a single person with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection who attended school during their infectious period.” Two or more individuals is defined as a cluster, while an outbreak describes a situation involving “multiple individuals with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infections when transmission is likely widespread within the school setting.”

SEE ALSO: Masks now mandatory for students in Grade 4 and up, B.C. confirms (March 31, 2021)

SEE ALSO: Indoor yoga, Tai Chi, ‘low-intensity’ fitness machines off limits in B.C. (March 30, 2021)

SEE ALSO: B.C. stops indoor dining, fitness, religious service due to COVID-19 spike (March 29, 2021)


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North Delta Reporter