Abbotsford continues to rival Surrey as one of the hotspots across B.C. for COVID-19 cases.
The latest case numbers posted on the B.C. Centre of Disease Control (BCCDC) website indicate that Abbotsford recorded 498 cases for the week of April 25 to May 1. This is a rate of 308 per 100,000 population.
In comparison, Surrey recorded 1,671 cases for that week – or a rate of 279 per 100,000 population.
But when comparing the numbers for the entire pandemic, from January 2020 to April 2021, Surrey comes out ahead with 33,146 cases (a rate of 5,538 per 100,000).
Abbotsford compares with 7,607 cases for the period – 4,708 per 100,000 population.
The two communities have been identified by Fraser Health as having some of the highest transmission neighbourhoods, resulting in vaccination clinics being expanded to those 30 years and older in those areas.
But the cases in Surrey and Abbotsford have remained about the same since mid-April, after rising steadily in the prior weeks and months.
RELATED: Vaccination clinics expand to all of Abbotsford for ages 30+
An internal BCCDC report obtained and shared by the Vancouver Sun on Thursday (May 6) shows more-detailed data than has been released since the pandemic began in early 2020.
The report covers the week of April 23 to 29 and indicates that Surrey topped the province with 29 per cent of the province’s cases during that period, although it contains about 10 per cent of B.C.’s population.
Abbotsford was second with eight per cent of the cases compared to having three per cent of B.C.’s population.
Meanwhile, other areas of the Eastern Fraser Valley are faring better than Abbotsford.
Mission recorded 63 cases for the week of April 25 to May 1: a rate of 147 per 100,000 population.
Chilliwack had 88 cases (a rate of 92), while Hope recorded five for a rate of 73 per 100,000.
The combined areas of Agassiz and Harrison had 10 cases – a rate of 120.
RELATED: Leaked report shows detailed B.C. COVID-19 data not being released to public
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