Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry revealing new modeling about BC in the COVID-19 pandemic. (Facebook/Gov't of B.C.)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

covid-19 update

New COVID-19 cases dropping by more than half in Nanaimo & Oceanside areas

Dec 23, 2020 | 4:15 PM

NANAIMO — New data shows how restrictions are limiting COVID-19 transmission in the Nanaimo and Oceanside areas.

The BC CDC showed there were six new cases of COVID-19 within Nanaimo and one in Oceanside from Dec. 13 to 19. During this time there were 48 new cases found within all of Island Health.

New cases the week before were roughly twice as high, with 15 cases found in Nanaimo and three in the Oceanside region.

Across Vancouver Island, our central Island region has led with the most cases throughout the pandemic with 372 from Jan. 1 to Dec. 21. South Vancouver Island lagged by roughly 100 cases and the north Island falling another 100.

Nine new cases within Island Health were announced by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on Wednesday, Dec. 23. They were among 518 new cases announced.

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In central Vancouver Island, 24 cases are currently active, with 28 in the south Island and 14 in north Vancouver Island.

Nearly 350 people remained in hospital.

“We’re now levelling off in our hospitalizations but they are at the highest level we’ve seen this year,” Dr. Henry said. “Tragically our death rate has increased in recent weeks.”

Another 19 people lost their lives since the day before.

The death toll currently sits at 796.

“We have bent our curve slightly and are now perhaps on a downward trajectory,” Dr. Henry said. “We did reach up to 800 cases per day but that has slowed. But we need to be cautious. It would not take much for us to get into a danger zone again.”

Island Health is expected to receive its first shipment of the recently approved Moderna COVID-19 vaccine next week.

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