Coronavirus: Nearly half of Interior Health region cases located in Central Okanagan

No new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the Interior Health region on Thursday, according to local officials.

Interestingly, though, in releasing the latest coronavirus data, provincial health officials also released a map showing data for smaller, regional breakdowns.

For example, officials pegged the total number of cases in the Interior Health region at 429. Almost half of those, at 209, were in the Central Okanagan.

Next was Kamloops at 53, followed by Vernon at 21. No other region in the Central or Southern Interior had more than 10, with six areas having no cases at all.

Sixteen cases in Interior Health are active and one is in isolation, but no one is in hospital.

To view the map, click here.

During the early months of the pandemic, B.C. health officials only gave data for the five health regions.

The Interior Health region is a massive chunk of land, featuring 59 incorporated municipalities, and spans approximately 215,000 square kilometres. It is also home to 760,000 people.

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Health officials have been regularly questioned why they couldn’t give more detailed data, such by city or region.

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“Early on, as you know, we reported it by health authority (region) only,” said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, adding the reason was to prevent people from possibly being identified when case numbers were small.

“As we had more cases here in B.C., we were able to provide data to communities and to the public by health-service delivery areas, smaller geographic areas.

“We are now at the point where we have sufficient data, over time, that we can even go more granular than that. This is what we call the local health area map of COVID-19 cases.”

Henry said the map will be updated on a periodic basis.

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On Thursday, Interior Health said within the region, the number of cases linked to Kelowna since June 26 is 171. Three cases are still active and are in isolation.

A community outbreak was also announced for Elkford in the Kootenays. The outbreak is linked to a construction site at a water treatment plant.

Interior Health says seven people associated with construction of the water treatment facility have subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 after returning to their home communities.

Six of the workers reside in Alberta and one resides on Vancouver Island. No cases are currently linked to Interior Health or the surrounding communities.

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