Delta variant now makes up 95% of B.C.’s COVID-19 cases: officials

The latest data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control shows that the highly contagious Delta variant now makes up nearly all COVID-19 cases in the province.

The BCCDC’s latest report states genetic sequencing determined that 95 per cent of the 1,488 cases recorded between July 25 and July 31 were the Delta variant.

2:02 Provinces revise pandemic policies and reopening strategies

Delta’s presence was even more pronounced in the Interior Health region — currently in the grips of an outbreak — where it represented 99 per cent of cases.

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The variant had spread the least in the Northern Health Authority (79 per cent) and the Vancouver Coastal Health authority (88 per cent), the report showed.

4:08 Impact of the Delta variant

On Friday, B.C. reported 464 new cases of COVID-19, with active cases climbing over 2,400.

However, the province reported no new deaths for a third consecutive day, and hospitalizations remained essentially flat.

COVID-19 vaccines have proven highly effective at preventing infection and particularly against serious illness and death among people who have received two doses.

Data emerging from the U.S. suggests Delta could be as contagious as chickenpox, that vaccinated people who do contract the virus are highly able to pass it on to others.

According to the latest data released by B.C. health officials, current to July 15, 95 per cent of cases in the province were among people who were not fully vaccinated.