A BC Centre for Disease Control map outlining total COVID-19 case counts by local health area from Dec. 6–12. Dark red areas mean the area has an average daily rate of more than 20 cases per 100,000 population. (BC CDC photo)

Weekly COVID count down in Penticton, up elsewhere in the South Okanagan

Cases are down 32 per cent in Penticton compared to the previous week

  • Dec. 17, 2020 12:00 a.m.

There were 34 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in Penticton between Dec. 6 and Dec. 12.

There have been a total of 150 recorded cases in Penticton since the start of the pandemic, with 50 of those being identified from Nov. 29 to Dec. 5.

More than half — 56 per cent — of the total cases in Penticton have been recorded over the last two weeks.

Starting with data from the week of Nov. 29 to Dec. 5, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) began providing weekly updates for local health areas throughout the province.

The health areas in the South Okanagan are broken down as Penticton, Keremeos, and the South Okanagan (Oliver and Osoyoos).

While numbers are down in Penticton compared to the previous week, the same cannot be said about towns elsewhere in the South Okanagan.

There were 54 new cases recorded in the South Okanagan area that encompasses Oliver and Osoyoos. Many of the cases can be attributed to an outbreak at McKinney Place long-term care home in Oliver.

There are 57 cases at the care home since the outbreak was first declared Dec. 6.

A resident of McKinney Place died from COVID-19 on Dec. 13.

READ MORE: One in hospital, one dead and several sick from outbreak at Oliver home

In Keremeos there was one new case recorded between Dec. 6 and Dec. 12. Keremeos also recorded one case in the previous week.

According to Interior Health, they are testing from 700 to 800 people a day at the region’s testing centres.

The BCCDC noted that the numbers are from a live database, so adding the weekly updates to the 11-month total will not give a precise count of total numbers. Cases with missing address information or those from out of province aren’t mapped.

In Penticton there have been noted cases at Village by the Station long-term care home as well as both high-schools.

Across the province, Surrey recorded the most cases per 100,000 people from Dec. 6 to 12. The city identified 1484 new cases last week.

In the Okanagan, the most cases were seen in the Central Okanagan area.

The BC CDC will now be releasing the number of COVID-19 cases recored in local areas weekly. This map shows cases recorded in areas across the province from Dec. 6 to 12. (BC CDC)

READ MORE: Central Okanagan had more than 60% of Interior Health’s COVID-19 cases last week


jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

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