Chilliwack COVID-19 cases hit another 2021 high

If you thought two weeks ago was bad for COVID-19 cases in Chilliwack, last week was even worse.

As B.C. fights the fourth wave of the pandemic, Chilliwack’s weekly case numbers hit a high for 2021 in the data from Sept. 5 to 11 with 166 cases.

That was the highest weekly so far in 2021, but there were a further 215 cases from Sept. 12 to 18, according to B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) numbers.

The third highest was the week over New Year’s, Dec. 27, 2020 to Jan. 2, 2021 at 156.

Numbers have risen steadily from as few as five cases July 18 to 24 up to 60 Aug. 8 to 14. That rose to 106 Aug. 22 to 28, 125 Aug. 29 to Sept. 4 before the peak of 215.

Vaccination rates in Chilliwack are moving up, but they remain the second lowest for a local health area in the Fraser Health Authority. As of Sept. 14, 76 per cent of eligible Chilliwack residents over the age of 12 had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. For the same age group, 68 per cent are fully vaccinated.

In Hope, 73 per cent have one dose with just 65 per cent having both. Mission, similarly is at 76 per cent for one dose with Agassiz-Harrison 80 per cent, Abbotsford 83 per cent, Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows 84 per cent, Langley 85 per cent, Surrey White Rock 87, Tri-Cities 88, Burnaby and New Westminster 89, with Surrey at 90 per cent and Delta 91 per cent.

According to the latest data summary from the BCCDC, a majority of recent cases and hospitalizations across the province continue to be among unvaccinated people. In the most recent report, fully vaccinated people accounted for 22 per cent of cases (nine per cent partially vaccinated) and 10 per cent of hospitalizations (six per cent partially vaccinated). Unvaccinated people accounted for 69 per cent of new cases and 83 per cent of new hospitalizations.

There is an ongoing vaccination clinic is at the Chilliwack COVID-19 centre at 9090 Newman Rd. daily from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Walk-ins are available for first and second doses.

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