Northern Health Authority (NHA) saw 14 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday (Oct. 27), the highest number of cases NHA has reported in one day since the beginning of the pandemic.
The highest number in one day previous to this was 12 cases reported on Sept. 15.
The B.C. COVID-19 Dashboard records the average test turn-around time in hours, as well, with times ranging anywhere from about 30 to 40 hours. However, the two days before Oct. 27 saw some of the lowest numbers of tests performed in NHA, with 122 tests done on Oct. 25 and 139 on the 26.
Before that, a slightly higher number of 197 tests were performed on Oct. 24, but that number is still fairly low compared to some days in September which saw up to 500 tests completed in one day.
What is concerning to health authorities about those numbers, however, is the positivity rate. September saw the positivity rate drop in the two per cent range, which is good. Oct. 27 saw a positivity rate of almost seven per cent, the highest the region has seen since the spring.
Provincially the positivity rate is also starting to rise reaching just over five per cent on Monday (Oct. 26).
In the Kitimat Local Health Area, January to September of this year has seen a total of four reported cases. This number is quite low compared to Terrace, Smithers, and Haida Gwaii, which have had 18, 19, and 27 cases reported, respectively. Prince Rupert has only had two reported cases as of September.
In B.C.’s Northwest Health Service Delivery Area (HSDA) alone, there have been 13 recorded cases from Oct. 16 to 29. There have been 16 in the Northern Interior HSDA and 25 in the Northeast HSDA.
To date, 32 people in NHA have been hospitalized, with one currently still in hospital.
In total, NHA has seen 406 COVID-19 cases, with 374 of those cases recovered as of Oct. 29. There are currently 7 new cases and 29 active cases, and three deaths have also been confirmed in the Health Authority.
READ MORE: B.C. reocrds 217 more COVID-19 cases, mask use urged
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