Revelstoke’s confirmed weekly COVID-19 case number continues to rise rapidly, quadrupling in the past weekly epi-week to 12 as the Delta variant-driven fourth wave continues to deliver new infections.
After four consecutive weeks of zero cases in the Revelstoke Local Health Area (LHA), there was one in epi-week 29, three in epi-week 30, now 12 in epi-week 31.
In Interior Health, the Central Okanagan remains the hot spot for new COVID-19 cases, increasing from 450 to 849 cases this week over last. Additional local restrictions remain in place for the Central Okanagan LHA.
Some smaller regional communities are also experiencing a rapid rise in numbers. There were 74 new cases in Nelson, 30 in Castlegar and 11 in the nearby Arrow Lakes, all of which were above the 20-case per 100,000 threshold.
Daily Interior Health update
In Interior Health, there were 258 new daily cases, 31 hospitalized, and 11 in ICU.
There was one death recorded in B.C., in Interior Health.
Daily B.C. update
B.C. health authorities announced 536 new COVID-19 cases on Aug. 11, the highest new case count in almost three months. There are 3,585 active cases in B.C.
In B.C., 72 people are hospitalized, 29 are in intensive care.
B.C. health authorities have emphasized that the majority of cases are in people who have not been vaccinated, emphasizing that the new wave is affecting people under 40.
Interior Health interim chief medical health officer, Dr. Sue Pollock called on all residents to get immunized.
“We are calling on everyone, especially people under 40, and anyone working in health care or the service sector, to get immunized. It is the most effective way to bring this outbreak under control,” Pollock said. “It is important for everyone, even people who may have been sick with COVID-19 earlier this year, to get immunized because the vaccine protects you against the different strains of the virus.”
Although most cases are among individuals under 40 years old, IH is also now seeing COVID-19 exposures in health care facilities, businesses, restaurants and social settings.
Revelstoke is hosting its next COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Aug. 13 at the Revelstoke Community Centre. You can walk in without an appointment. Health authorities do encourage registration, which you can do via this link.
Analysis: Revelstoke COVID-19 case rates signal further rise
For more about projected case rates in Revelstoke in the current week, see this story published on revelstokemountaineer.com earlier today:
Correction: The main photo in the original story was the weekly map image from the previous week. The error was corrected shortly after publication.