Central Okanagan recorded 171 new COVID-19 cases last week

Photo: BC CDC

New COVID-19 cases by local health area, identified between Oct. 10 and 16.

The number of new COVID-19 cases across the Okanagan dropped slightly last week, as case rates remain high in the province's north.

New data released Wednesday by the BC Centre for Disease Control shows 171 new cases of the virus were identified in the Central Okanagan between Oct. 10 and 16, 15 fewer than the week prior. Weekly case numbers have been steadily decreasing since hitting an all-time high of 922 in mid-August.

To the north, weekly cases dropped by 17 in the Vernon area, to 46, while the Armstrong/Spallumcheen and Enderby regions saw weekly cases increase slightly, to 12 and 20 respectively.

Cases in Salmon Arm decreased by more than half from the week before, to 41, while Kamloops recorded 118 new cases.

In the south, Penticton also saw a significant decrease last week, down to 28 new cases, while the Southern Okanagan local health area, which includes Oliver and Osoyoos, recorded just 10 new cases.

In the Kootenays, the Cranbrook, Creston and Trail local health areas also saw significant reductions, recording 43, six and 16 new cases respectively.

While the Surrey and Prince George regions have been consistently been posting the most cases in the province over the past month, last week, Abbotsford claimed the second worst hit place in B.C., with 288 new cases. Surrey recorded 318 new cases last week, while Prince George, with a far fewer people, had 286 new cases.

All of the Northern Health local health areas except for Prince Rupert recorded high case rates of more than 20 daily infections per 100,000 people.

Interior local health areas weekly cases:

• Central Okanagan: high of 922, Aug. 8-14; most recently 171 (-15)
• Vernon: high of 263, Aug. 22-28; most recently 46 (-17)
• Armstrong/Spallumcheen: high of 31, Sept. 5-11; most recently 12 (+2)
• Enderby: high of 30, Sept. 19-25; most recently 20 (+6)
• Salmon Arm: high of 104, Sept. 5-11; most recently 41 (-45)
• Kamloops: high of 270, Sept. 5-11; most recently 118 (-13)
• Penticton: high of 69, Sept. 19-25; most recently 28 (-35)
• Keremeos: high of 15, Aug. 15-21; most recently 19 (+12)
• Southern Okanagan: high of 54, Dec. 6-12; most recently 10 (-12)
• Summerland: high of 21, Sept. 5-11; most recently 7 (+6)
• Revelstoke: high of 37, Dec. 27-Jan. 2; most recently 6 (same)
• Golden: high of 38, Aug. 22-28; most recently 1 (-3)
• Arrow Lakes: high of 14, Sept. 26-Oct. 2; most recently 0 (-8)
• Kootenay Lake: high of 5, Aug. 22-28; most recently 4 (+4)
• Windermere: high of 34, April 4-10; most recently 10 (+9)
• Kimberley: high of 18, Aug. 22-28; most recently 0 (-7)
• Cranbrook: high of 90, Sept. 26 – Oct. 2; most recently 43 (-34)
• Fernie: high of 44, Jan. 17-23; most recently 5 (-2)
• Creston: high of 56, Aug. 15-21; most recently 6 (-24)
• Nelson: high of 153, Aug. 15-21; most recently 10 (+3)
• Castlegar: high of 34, Aug. 8-14; most recently 7 (-14)
• Trail: high of 79, Sept. 19-25; most recently 16 (-20)
• Grand Forks: high of 45, Aug. 29-Sept. 4; most recently 10 (+5)
• Kettle Valley: high of 25, Aug. 29-Sept. 4; most recently 1 (-1)
• Princeton: high of 6, Sept. 5-11; most recently 3 (+3)
• Merritt: high of 43, Sept. 26-Oct. 2; most recently 17 (-7)
• South Cariboo: high of 23, Sept. 5-11; most recently 2 (-9)
• Lillooet: high of 10, Sept. 26-Oct. 2; most recently 4 (+1)
• Cariboo/Chilcotin: high of 140, Jan. 10-16; most recently 57 (-10)
• 100 Mile: previous high of 42, Sept. 26-Oct. 2; most recently 20 (-28)
• North Thompson: high of 5, Sept. 19-25; most recently 3 (+2)