As COVID-19 case numbers continue to soar provincially, prevalence of the disease in the North has been on the decrease.
Of all the local health areas (LHA) in the Northwest Health Service Delivery Area (HSDA), only Kitimat saw an increase in weekly cases with 17 compared to 13 in the previous reporting period.
For the most recent reporting period (March 28-April 3), the Smithers LHA reported only six new cases.
Surrounding LHAs also saw reduced numbers. Although the average daily rate per 100,000 population (a measure the BC CDC uses to compare areas of differing population densities) remained well above 20 in the Prince Rupert, Nisga’a and Upper Skeena LHAs, the numbers still represent a decrease with 72, 7 and 15 respectively.
Three weeks ago, 85 per cent of the population of the City of Prince Rupert and Port Edward were vaccinated due to the high prevalence of the disease there.
READ MORE: B.C.’S COVID-19 case count up to 1,068 on Tuesday
For March 28 to April 3 Terrace and Haida Gwaii LHAs also saw decreases with just 20, 13 and 4 cases respectively.
Nechako had two cases, up from zero the week before, but statistically insignificant.
Burns Lake and the aggregate LHAs of Snow Country, Stikine and Telegraph Creek were COVID-free for the week.
All adults in the Northwest HSDA are now eligible to book vaccination appointments except for residents of the main urban centres of Smithers, Terrace and Kitimat.
In those towns, Northern Health is accepting appointments for Indigenous people 18-plus years of age and other community members born in 1951 or before (70 years of age).
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