COVID-19 cases are on the rise again in the B.C. Northwest and a fourth wave being driven by the Delta variant is now affecting the country, Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer of Canada said, on Aug. 12.
The virus is plotting a strong resurgence trajectory Tam said, at a news conference. There are more than 13,000 active cases which is a number doubled from two weeks ago. The Delta Variant is now the dominant strain of the mutated virus worldwide.
Across the nation, the majority of reported cases are in the 20 to 39-year-old age group with an average of 1,500 new cases confirmed each day.
Tam said after several months of declining severity patterns medical authorities are now seeing early indicators of increases in the severity of the illness.
“In particular, during this last stretch, to increase vaccine uptake further across all age groups we need to build up momentum to increase coverage among young adults, the age group where most of the transmission is occurring,” Tam said.
According to CDC BC epidemiology mapping for the week of Aug. 1 to 7, there are two lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Prince Rupert, one case in Haida Gwaii, three cases in Terrace and two in Kitimat.
In the Northern Health Authority region, there have been 8,054 cases of the coronavirus confirmed as of Aug. 13 and reported on the CDC BC COVID-19 dashboard. Three patients are hospitalized across the north with two in critical care for the same reporting date.
K-J Millar | Journalist
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