The number of recorded COVID-19 cases in the South Okanagan remained low from March 14 to 20.
According to new weekly data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, a total of five cases were recorded in the region: one in Penticton, two in Keremeos and two in the South Okanagan area encompassing Oliver and Osoyoos.
| The B.C. Centre for Disease Control reported five new cases of COVID-19 recorded from March 14 to 20, 2021. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control) |
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control releases updated community-specific information on COVID-19 infection rates every Wednesday.
The new case count represents a drop in cases from the previous week in Penticton where seven cases were recorded. However, Keremeos and the South Okanagan both saw their case counts rise by one when compared to the data from March 7 to 13.
Just north of Penticton, in the Central Okanagan, 70 cases were recorded from March 14 to 20. The region’s most populous area has routinely recorded the highest number of cases in B.C.’s Interior.
Cases in the Okanagan are low relative to the rest of the province which has been experiencing a “third wave” in cases, according to provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. On Wednesday (March 24) the province announced 716 new cases. The majority of the new cases were recorded in the Vancouver Coastal Health region (230) and the Fraser Health region (383).
The recent rise in cases is partly because of the spread of three variant strains that are being tracked in B.C., according to provincial health officials.
READ MORE: B.C.’s COVID-19 climb continues with 716 cases Wednesday
READ MORE: B.C. more than doubles fine for breaking COVID-19 gathering orders
jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
