Kamloops region sees slight uptick in new COVID-19 cases

Photo: B.C. Centre for Disease Control

This map shows local health area COVID-19 case counts for the week of Sept. 26 to Oct. 2.

Kamloops saw another uptick in new COVID-19 infections last week.

According to new data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, 226 people tested positive for COVID-19 in the Kamloops local health area between Sept. 26 and Oct. 2 — the most recent period for which there is data.

That is a slight increase from 219 the previous week.

The fourth wave has been hitting Kamloops hard for about two months. Case counts began to increase in mid-July and kicked into high gear in August.

Local case counts reached their highest point about a month ago, when the region recorded 270 new cases for the week ending Sept. 11.

Over the last six weeks, the Kamloops local health area has averaged 229 new cases per week, or about 33 documented infections per day — the highest six-week average the region has ever seen.

For comparison, the local health area recorded 346 COVID-19 cases in all of 2020. Third-wave weekly case counts topped out in early February at 161.

The Kamloops local health area includes the city as well as Sun Peaks, Barriere, Chase, Logan Lake and Savona, and surrounding rural communities.