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Fraser Health continues to be epicentre of B.C. COVID-19 cases

The province’s most populous health region has had about three-quarters of the new cases in the past week
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Provincial health officer Bonnie Henry regularly provides updates on the extent of COVID-19 in B.C. Screenshot

The Fraser Health region continues to be the hot spot in the province for COVID-19 infections, according to data health officials released Oct. 29.

Of the 234 new infections identified in the past 24 hours, 74% have been in the Fraser Health region – a district that includes much of the eastern and southern Lower Mainland, including Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey, Delta, Abbotsford and Chilliwack.

The district that has about 1.8 million residents has long incurred the most infections, in part because of outbreaks at poultry or produce plants.

In the week that ended yesterday, the Fraser Health region had nearly three quarters (1,346) of the 1,818 newly identified infections across B.C.

B.C.’s provincial health officer Bonnie Henry on Oct. 29 stood at a news conference in Surrey with Fraser Health CEO Victoria Lee and Health Minister Adrian Dix to address the continuing crisis in the Fraser Health region.

“We are here because in recent weeks, COVID-19 has disproportionately been affecting communities in the Fraser Valley,” Henry said. 

There have now been 14,109 infections B.C.-wide since the virus that spawned a global pandemic first was identified in the province in late January.

Of those, 2,344 people are actively fighting the disease, while 11,448 have recovered and 262 have died. There are also 55 people who are left unaccounted for, with health officials telling BIV that the most likely explanation is that they left the province without alerting health officials.

The vast majority of those battling infections are self-isolating at home, although 86 are in hospital, with 24 of those in intensive care units. Health officials are also monitoring 5,714 people because they have been in contact with others who are known to be infected.

There was one new death from the virus reported in the past day – a woman in her 80s who lived in the Fraser Health region and went to a birthday party that had 10 people. 

"Unfortunately, somebody unknowingly brought COVID-19, and even though it was a small party in one person's home, the majority of people who were in that home became infected," Henry said.  

During this pandemic, all health regions have suffered at least hundreds of cases. The latest count, with new cases in brackets is:

  • 4,545 in Vancouver Coastal Health (43);
  • 8,036 in Fraser Health (173);
  • 256 in Island Health (three);
  • 734 in Interior Health (seven);
  • 406 in Northern Health (seven); and
  • 89 people who reside outside Canada (one).

One hospital in Fraser Health, Surrey Memorial Hospital, has had an outbreak for weeks.

There are 24 seniors' long-term care and assisted living facilities that also have outbreaks.

gkorstrom@biv.com

@GlenKorstrom