Nelson has once again smashed its weekly record for new COVID-19 cases.
The Nelson local health area, which includes Salmo and parts of the Slocan Valley, had 153 new cases during the week of Aug. 15 to 21, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.
That breaks the record of 117 set one week prior. The Nelson area has now had 382 new cases recorded between July 25 and Aug. 21, and a total of 525 since March 2020.
Nelson may be among B.C.’s hotspots, but cases were up across the West Kootenay.
Creston set a new high with 56 cases between Aug. 15 to 21, followed by Trail with 36, Castlegar’s 33 and 18 in Grand Forks.
Arrow Lakes, which includes Nakusp, added five cases, while the Kootenay Lake area had two.
Vaccination rates, meanwhile, saw marginal increases.
In the Nelson area, 63 per cent of eligible people are fully vaccinated as of Tuesday.
But only 39 per cent of children ages 12-17 have had two doses, while just 55 per cent of people ages 18-49 are fully vaccinated.
Creston’s vaccination rate continues to be the worst in the West Kootenay, with only 57 per cent of eligible people having received two doses. Trail leads the region with 75 per cent of people completely vaccinated.
READ MORE:
• Vaccine passports a positive step for Nelson: Mayor Dooley
• ‘The time is now’: Creston physician urges vaccination amid rising COVID infections
• B.C. teachers say back-to-school plan doesn’t address testing, ventilation concerns
