Surrey recorded fewer than 5 new cases of COVID-19 for every 100K residents last week
For the first time since the B.C. government began publishing weekly geographic data on COVID-19 infections last December, the per-capita case rate in Surrey has dropped below five cases per 100,000 residents.
The weekly case map published Wednesday on the B.C. Centre for Disease Control website shows the number of new coronavirus cases recorded in each of the province's "local health areas" during the week of June 6 to 12.
During that period, the local health area that includes most of the City of Surrey saw a total of 172 newly diagnosed cases of COVID-19. That's equivalent to fewer than five new cases per 100,000 residents, the lowest per-capita case range shown on the map, other than zero.
Surrey has long been at the centre of the COVID-19 pandemic in B.C., routinely accounting for the largest number of new cases of any local health area, as well as the highest per-capita caseload.
Between January 2020 and May 31 of this year, Surrey saw a total of 37,158 coronavirus cases, or more than 25 per cent of the 144,289 cases recorded across the entire province as of that date.
Neighbourhood-level data first leaked in May and later released publicly by the BCCDC showed that, within Surrey, it was specifically central, northern and western areas that had the highest rates of COVID-19 transmission.
The most recent neighbourhood-level data published on the BCCDC's COVID-19 surveillance dashboard shows that disparities within Surrey persist, but every neighbourhood was in the less-than-five-cases-per-100,000-residents category between June 8 and 14.
Surrey's per-capita total on the latest map puts it at a lower rate of COVID-19 transmission than several other regions of the province, including the Abbotsford and Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows local health areas in the Lower Mainland, which each saw between five and 10 cases per 100,000 residents during the week shown on the map.
Elsewhere in B.C., there was only one local health area that saw more than 10 cases per 100,000 residents between June 6 and 12: The Windermere region in Interior Health.
That local health area saw a total of eight new infections during the week in question, but its small population means the per-capita case rate is the highest in B.C. on the latest map.
The declining number of coronavirus cases in B.C. reflects growing immunity in communities around the province. As of June 14, according to the BCCDC dashboard, there were only two local health areas in B.C. where fewer than half of residents ages 12 and older had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Those regions, Peace River North and South, have 47 and 48 per cent first-dose vaccination rates, respectively. Looking only at adults ages 18 and older, the rate in both areas rises to 50 per cent.
Province-wide, nearly 75 per cent of people ages 12 and older have received at least a first shot, as have more than 76 per cent of adults.
The BCCDC dashboard offers reasons for caution, however, with several regions seeing significant jumps in per-capita case rates in recent weeks.
The largest increases were in Interior Health, where the Kootenay Lake region saw 15 cases per 100,000 residents from June 8 to 14, up from zero cases per 100,000 the week before.
The rate also increased significantly in Merritt (from zero to 10 per 100,000), Windermere (from five to 10) and South Cariboo (from zero to eight).
Elsewhere, at least one local health area in each of B.C.'s five health authorities has seen its per-capita caseload increase in recent weeks, despite the downward trajectory of the province's overall numbers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
Fort Nelson, B.C., wildfire doubles in size as 3,000-plus ordered to evacuate
The wildfire that sparked Friday and caused evacuation orders for more than 3,000 people in Fort Nelson, B.C., and the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has grown to nearly 1,700 hectares in size, according to a Saturday morning update from the BC Wildfire Service.
Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final
Hours before the final, Dutch contestant Joost Klein was dramatically booted out by organizers over a backstage incident. He had failed to perform at two dress rehearsals on Friday, and contest organizer the European Broadcasting Union said it was investigating an "incident."
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Haitians demand the resignation and arrest of the country's police chief after a new gang attack
A growing number of civilians and police officers are demanding the dismissal and arrest of Haiti's police chief as heavily armed gangs launched a new attack in the capital of Port-au-Prince, seizing control of yet another police station early Saturday.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.