Kamloops current hot spot for COVID-19 in Interior Health region

New data shows the number of new COVID-19 cases in the Interior Health region dropped 76 cases in the most recent week but cases in Kamloops jumped by 44.

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control posts data on Local Health Areas each week, including 31 areas within the Interior Health region. The most recent data is for the week of Jan. 31 to Feb. 6.

It shows the total number of new cases in the health region fell to 391 from 467 the week before, and 558 the week before that.

The cases in the Kamloops Health Area climbed to 161 from 117. Cases there were at 124 the week before that. There have been 105 cases during an ongoing outbreak at Royal Inland Hospital that was declared on Jan. 22.

The latest data only includes positive tests recorded in that week.

The Kamloops Health Area stretches from Barriere to Logan Lake, and includes Sun Peaks and Chase.

The Central Okanagan, which accounted for more than half of the region’s weekly cases for much of the pandemic, held steady at 76 new cases, down one case from the previous week.

New cases in Vernon dropped to 18 from 45, while Penticton’s cases fell by one to 10.

Many areas in the Kootenays showed no new cases.

See the full map and other data here.

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