Mixed week for Interior, some regions see COVID-19 cases increase, but others decrease

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Central Okanagan fell from the week prior, according to data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

From April 25 to May 1, there were 174 cases in the Central Okanagan, down from 215 the week prior.

However, while the Central Okanagan saw a drop in cases, the rest of the Interior Health region proved to be a mixed bag, with just as many regions showing increases as there were decreases.

For example, Penticton saw a slight increase to 34 cases from 30, while Summerland more than doubled its prior weekly total, going to 28 from 12. The South Okanagan also jumped up, going to 14 from six.

But at the same time, Vernon dipped to 25 from 36, while Salmon Arm fell to nine from 20 and Armstrong dropped to three from eight.

The B.C. CDC also updated its monthly totals, and every region throughout Interior Health saw an increase in April from its March totals.

The Central Okanagan saw an increase of 1,020 cases, as it jumped to 4,462 cases from 3,442.

Vernon increased to 874 from 695, while Penticton surged to 450 from 318. Summerland doubled to 122 from 66 and Salmon Arm increased to 339 from 281.

2:07 Health Canada approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for Canadians 12 and over

On Wednesday, the B.C. CDC reported 57 new cases for the Interior Health region, along with 546 active cases. Of those active cases, 16 were in critical care.

The number of total cases for Interior Health since the pandemic began was listed at 11,197, with 10,520 having recovered. The number of confirmed deaths was 131.

Below are the weekly case totals for the Okanagan since late October:

• Oct. 30 to Nov. 12: 144 cases
• Nov. 13-26: 420 cases
• Nov. 20 to Dec. 3: 597 cases
• Dec. 4-10: 371 cases
• Dec. 11-17: 375 cases
• Dec. 18-24: 290 cases
• Dec. 25-31: 210 cases
• Jan. 1-7: 303 cases
• Jan. 8-14: 222 cases
• Jan. 15-21: 173 cases
• Jan. 22-28: 152 cases
• Jan. 29 to Feb. 4: 150 cases
• Feb. 5-11: 90 cases
• Feb. 12-18: 71
• Feb. 19-25: 75 cases
• Feb. 26 – March 4: 69 cases
• March 5-11: 125 cases
• March 12-18: 111 cases
• March 18-24: 154 cases
• March 24-30: 223 cases
• April 2-8: 393 cases
• April 9-15: 414 cases
• April 16-22: 321 cases
• April 23-29: 351 cases

2:19 B.C. reports 572 new cases of COVID-19, lowest daily numbers in over six weeks

Number of cases per major region, from Jan. 1, 2020, to April 29, 2021:

Note: Prior cases from Jan. 1, 2020, to April 22, 2021, in brackets

• Okanagan: 6,436 cases (6,105)
• Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap: 3,372 cases (3,286)
• East Kootenay: 754 cases (694)
• Kootenay Boundary: 407 cases (373)

Number of cases per major region from April 23-29, 2021:

Note: Prior cases from April 16-22, 2021, in brackets

• Okanagan: 351 cases (321)
• Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap: 94 cases (96)
• East Kootenay: 67 cases (88)
• Kootenay Boundary: 34 cases (57)

3:41 Should COVID-19 vaccinations be mandatory for staff in B.C.’s long-term care homes?

Number of cases per subregion or local health authority, from January 2020 to April 2021:

Note: Prior cases from January 2020 to March 2021 in brackets:

• Central Okanagan: 4,462 (3,442)
• Kamloops: 1,761 (1,496)
• Vernon: 874 (695)
• Cariboo/Chilcotin: 490 (470)
• Penticton: 450 (318)
• South Okanagan: 341 (276)
• Salmon Arm: 339 (281)
• Revelstoke: 306 (253)
• Merritt: 263 (242)
• Fernie: 227 (183)
• Cranbrook: 176 (104)
• Nelson: 157 (87)
• Windermere: 124 (55)
• Summerland: 122 (66)
• 100 Mile House: 109 (105)
• Golden: 95 (68)
• Enderby: 88 (67)
• Armstrong: 81 (62)
• Kettle Valley: 71 (68)
• Trail: 68 (31)
• Kimberley: 67 (22)
• Creston: 59 (33)
• Castlegar: 40 (23)
• South Cariboo: 38 (34)
• Grand Forks: 32 (19)
• Keremeos: 30 (22)
• Lillooet: 24 (24)
• Kootenay Lake: 13 (5)
• North Thompson: 12 (11)
• Arrow Lakes: 11 (3)
• Princeton: 8 (5)

2:26 Latest on ‘breakthrough cases’, people who contracted COVID-19 after vaccination

Number of cases per subregion or local health authority, from April 25 to May 1, 2021:

Note: Prior cases from April 18-24, 2021, in brackets

• Central Okanagan: 174 (215)
• Kamloops: 57 (46)
• Penticton: 34 (30)
• Summerland: 28 (12)
• Vernon: 25 (36)
• Golden: 16 (15)
• Nelson: 15 (19)
• Cranbrook: 15 (18)
• South Okanagan: 14 (6)
• Fernie: 13 (13)
• Windermere: 10 (4)
• Kimberley: 9 (7)
• Salmon Arm: 9 (20)
• Keremeos: 6 (2)
• Revelstoke: 6 (7)
• Cariboo-Chilcotin: 5 (1)
• Armstrong: 3 (8)
• Arrow Lakes: 3 (5)
• Enderby: 3 (1)
• Kettle Valley: 3 (0)
• 100 Mile House: 2 (1)
• Kootenay Lake: 2 (1)
• Merritt: 2 (3)
• Creston: 1 (8)
• Princeton: 1 (2)
• Trail: 1 (13)
• Castlegar: 0 (5)
• Grand Forks: 0 (8)
• Lillooet: 0 (0)
• North Thompson: 0 (0)
• South Cariboo: 0 (0)

Visit the B.C. Centre of Disease Control for more coronavirus statistics.