The Sunshine Coast’s COVID-19 case numbers have yo-yoed to just four between Jan. 24 and 30, down from 11 the previous week and 21 before that.
In the three weeks from Dec. 20 to Jan. 9, there were seven confirmed cases, according to data released by the BC Centre for Disease Control, with the Sunshine Coast Physician Task Force blaming the recent increase on a “holiday bump.”
January and February also marked the first time that School District No. 46 has had to deal with exposure events – two were reported at Chatelech Secondary and one at Elphinstone Secondary.
The cumulative total of COVID-19 cases for the Sunshine Coast is 135.
From Jan. 24 to 30, Powell River saw only one new case, while the Howe Sound region continues to endure a high case count, with 287 new infections reported.
Howe Sound includes Pemberton, Squamish and Whistler, and with 600 cases in 2021 has already surpassed last year’s case count of 503. Whistler has been hit particularly hard and has recently become a site for a rapid COVID-19 testing trial.
On Feb. 5 provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced restrictions on gatherings and events would again be extended, this time to the end of the month.
Individuals are not allowed to invite guests into their homes for social purposes. People living alone may still be part of a “core bubble” – a maximum of two people they can see regularly, according to the B.C. government.
Exceptions are made for children who are occupants of two separate households, university students returning home, and people relying on family members or close friends to support them with needs such as picking up children and delivering essential goods.
The health order banning hosting events and religious services is also extended until what Henry said would be the “end of the month.”
Henry said she would be “continually reviewing” whether data supports ending restrictions early, or extending them into March, and beyond.
“We all want to get to the days where these orders can be lifted,” said Henry. “As we look toward the end of this month, these data will tell us if more action is required, or if we can start to ease the restrictions we have in place through our shared efforts.”
Some good news related to the viral variants B.1.1.7, which originated in the U.K., and B.1.351, which originated in South Africa, is that they are not very prevalent in B.C. The bad news is that B.1.351 shows a tendency to spread significantly in the community.
Data shared by Henry on Feb. 5 showed only one of the nine cases of B.1.351 in B.C. has been identified as being related to travel. The other eight cases were acquired in the community.
– with files from Brandon Barrett/Pique Newsmagazine and Glen Korstrom/BIV
