Island Health's COVID-19 case counts are being driven through higher rates in communities like Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

cases increase

Alberni, Tofino, Ucluelet driving COVID-19 increases through central Island

Oct 27, 2021 | 4:37 PM

NANAIMO — Updated data from the BC Centre for Disease Control is painting a better picture of where a spike in COVID-19 cases are coming from.

Between Oct. 19-25, new case rates in the Alberni-Clayoquot area rose from 24 cases per 100,000 people, to 36. Vancouver Island West, primarily representing Tofino and Ucluelet, saw a rate rise from zero to 14 cases per 100,000 people.

Case rates in Nanaimo doubled over the same stretch, although not to the frequency of places inland. As of Oct. 25, 13 people per 100,000 were testing positive, up from seven the week prior.

Island Health posted another 73 new cases on Wednesday, including 43 through the central Island region.

To date, the health authority has recorded 10,437 cases of COVID-19 with 4,779 stemming from the central Island.

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Active cases rose slightly to 461 with the central Island continuing to lead the way with 276.

There is a data discrepancy between Island Health and the province, based on the timing of daily COVID-19 results. For local case tallies, NanaimoNewsNOW reports verified data from Island Health.

The BC CDC lists 56 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 on Vancouver Island, including 22 in critical care.

Across B.C., 599 new cases were added Wednesday with active cases dropping to 4,738.

Base hospital beds in B.C. continue to be at or near capacity, with 422 people hospitalized including 157 receiving intensive care.

The number of people in hospital is a sizeable jump from previous reports, however a data correction in the Interior is responsible for a larger-than-normal total Wednesday.

“As of Oct. 26, Interior Health has changed the primary source of COVID-19 hospitalization surveillance data,” a release from the province noted. “This change in data source will lead to a one-time increase in the number of ever and currently reported COVID-19 hospitalizations.”

Six people died in the last 24 hours because of COVID-19 complications.

Meanwhile, an independent COVID-19 modelling group said their projections suggest cases will decline in all health authorities over the next three weeks as immunity levels build among the vaccinated.

The experts from three universities and the private sector report cases are declining at about two per cent a day.

However, they warn children under 10 could now be more at risk of contracting the virus because they are unvaccinated.

Future risks could also come from more time indoors as the weather cools and more transmissible variants evolve.

— with files from The Canadian Press

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