Penticton case counts near peak in 2nd wave

After rising steadily over the past month, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Penticton is now approaching a level not seen since the peak of the second wave in late 2020.

There were 43 new cases recorded the week of Aug. 15-21 in the Peach City, according to fresh data released Thursday by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. That was up from 33 cases the week prior and none as recently as the week of July 11-17.

Case numbers had been trending downward in Penticton since reaching a high of 50 the week of Nov. 29-Dec. 5, 2020.

Rising counts have also been recorded in Oliver-Osoyoos, which had 22 new cases last week, compared to 11 the week before, and Keremeos, where there were 15 new cases last week, up from eight the week prior.

Summerland has managed to buck the trend with just two new cases last week, down from seven the previous week.

Elsewhere in the region, Vernon recorded 133 new cases last week, up from 109, while the Central Okanagan notched 737 cases, down from 922.

Soaring case counts driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant have turned the Central Okanagan into B.C.’s COVID-19 hotspot and triggered additional health restrictions, such as a requirement for people to wear masks in public places.

As of Aug. 24, 74%% of Penticton residents over the age of 12 had been fully vaccinated, according to the BCCDC. Summerland stood at 75% and Oliver-Osoyoos at 73%. The provincial average is 75%.