Another seven COVID-19 cases for Agassiz and Harrison means the area is maintaining its weekly average.
Between Jan. 24 and 30, seven people tested positive for COVID-19 in the Agassiz-Harrison local health area, which covers between Sts’ailes First Nation and Ruby Creek, as well as past the northern tip of Harrison Lake.
This has roughly the same amount of people who have tested positive each week throughout the winter, other than the first week of January, which saw 19 cases.
RELATED: Agassiz-Harrison area sees 19 COVID-19 cases in seven days
This most recent week of cases includes the outbreak at Glenwood Seniors Community, which was announced on Jan. 26. Two staff members tested positive for COVID-19 and are self-isolating at home. (If those staff members do not live in the Agassiz-Harrison local health area, their positive cases will be included in the weekly case count for the area where they live.)
More information on the outbreak at the Glenwood Seniors Community is expected to be released today (Feb. 4).
SEE ALSO: COVID-19 outbreak declared at Glenwood Seniors Community in Agassiz
In the eastern Fraser Valley, Agassiz and Harrison remains in the middle of the pack for the rate of COVID-19 cases — aside from the one week blip in early January.
(Weekly COVID-19 rates per 100,000 people is used to compare new cases in areas with different populations. The rate is calculated by dividing the new COVID-19 cases from the most recent census data for the local health area.)
Because of the small size of the communities, tiny changes to the number of new COVID-19 cases can have fairly significant impacts on the weekly rate of new cases. One new case in Agassiz and Harrison can mean the difference between 62 cases per 100,000 people or 72 cases per 100,000 people.
Although COVID-19 case numbers are trending down in Abbotsford and Mission, the region as a whole is maintaining roughly the same number of new cases each week.
RELATED: One in 50 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Fraser East
The province is asking individuals to get tested as soon as they have COVID-19-like symptoms, even mild ones.
The nearest testing sites for Agassiz and Harrison residents are in Chilliwack (9090 Newman Road), Hope (1275 7th Avenue) and Mission (7324 Hurd Street).
All sites accept adults and children over three months. Walk-ins are available on a first-come first-serve basis, but appointments are preferred.
COVID-19 testing appointments can be booked online through the Fraser Health website.Those needing help booking appointments can call the central intake number: 604-587-3936.
For more information about COVID-19, visit fraserhealth.ca/covid19.
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