Tuesday November 3, 2020 | VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc., editor | Island Social Trends
A shocking upsurge in COVID-19 cases was reported today by the BC Centre for Disease Control yesterday, and today there are another 299 cases. That brings the total cases in BC to 15,800.
However, on Vancouver Island the pace of infection seems well controlled. With 270 cases in the Island Health region since the beginning of the pandemic, that’s just 1.7% of all BC cases.
Today on Vancouver Island:
Today’s five new cases of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island bring the total in Island Health to 270. Of those, 18 cases are active (up from 13 yesterday).
As was the case yesterday, all of today’s new COVID cases on Vancouver Island are among working-age adults. Today that’s one case among each of people in their 20s, 30s and 50s and two people in their 60s.
The tally of COVID-19 cases among kids on Vancouver Island in the pandemic to date is just 20 (seven under the age of 10, and 13 youth up to age 19 years). That tally has been the same since October 22 (7.4% of cases in Island Health this year). This is relatively good news, showing that infection by attending classes in schools is not particularly evident (at least not on Vancouver Island).
The case numbers among the elderly on Vancouver Island have also not increased since October 22. People in their 70s still see 25 cases, with just nine cases in people age 80 to 89, and one person age 90+.
Source of infection:
According to the Island Health COVID dashboard, most of the cases on the island have been due to “linked to confirmed case or cluster”, with no indication of exposure due to international travel.
However, in today’s Island Health dashboard it does show an indication of COVID-19 infection by domestic travel in the recent new cases.
Active cases:
As of November 3, there are 18 active cases of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island. Of those, there are six cases in each of south (+2+), central (+2) and northern (+1) regions of the island .
Of the total 270 COVID cases on Vancouver Island from the start of the pandemic, the regional distribution has been fairly even (presently with a bit more in the Greater Victoria area): 101 south, 87 central, and 82 north.
Hospitalizations:
In Island Health, a total of 26 people have been hospitalized due to COVID-19. That’s since the beginning of the pandemic.
Presently no one is in hospital with COVID-19 in Island Health. Such has been the case for several weeks.
Recoveries:
To date, 246 people are listed as recovered from their test-positive COVID-19 infection.
Tests:
In total, there have been 101,722 COVID-19 tests done in Island Health since the start of the pandemic.
In the last 24 hours there were 452 tests done, from which five positive results were found. That’s a positivity rate of 1.1% (low rate or incidence of spread through direct contact).
No new deaths in Island Health:
There were three new deaths in today’s province-wide COVID-19 report but none of those were in Island Health.
Deaths in Island Health have totalled at six since the start of the pandemic. The last reported COVID death on Vancouver Island was on September 28.
There have been no outbreaks in long-term care homes on Vancouver Island during the pandemic this year to date.
