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North Shore COVID numbers drop slowly; 67 new cases reported

Whistler remains the region's infection hotspot with 224 new cases reported in the past week

The number of COVID cases on the North Shore is continuing to drop ever so slightly.

The North Shore reported 67 new cases of coronavirus for the week ending Jan. 23, a small drop from 71 the previous week and from 84 the week before that.

Of the total number, 46 cases of COVID-19 wee reported in North Vancouver while 21 were reported in West Vancouver. That pattern is similar to previous weeks, with North Vancouver showing higher overall numbers, but West Vancouver showing a higher rate of new daily infections measured per population.

Elsewhere in the Lower Mainland, numbers of new COVID-19 infections are stable, with the rate of new infections per population the same this past week as it was the week previous.

North Vancouver currently had a rate of under five new daily cases per 100,000 people while West Vancouver, with a smaller population, had a rate of between five and 10 daily cases per 100,000.

Whistler remains a noticeable COVID hotspot in the region, with 224 cases reported in the past week, and a higher rate of infection per population than any other community in the Lower Mainland area. The week before, Whistler recorded 63 new cases of the virus.

Last week, Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton issued a statement voicing concern about the rising numbers of COVID cases, which are being spread through gatherings in homes and workplaces and through cramped living quarters.

While rates of infection have been stable in much of the Lower Mainland, they have been rising dramatically in northern and rural communities including Prince Rupert, Terrace, the Chilcotin, Bella, Terrace, and Fort Nelson.

B.C. had recorded a total of 65,719 cases of coronavirus as of Wednesday, with 4,299 active cases province-wide. In the Vancouver Coastal Health region, there were 931 active cases – an increase from last week.

B.C. had also administered approximately 124,365 doses of vaccine out of 144,550 doses received.

Supplies from the vaccine manufacturer are expected to dwindle this week – a slow down that could last at least two weeks.