Skip to content

Four COVID-19 cases identified in Cranbrook this year: BC CDC

Newly released statistics shows the spread of COVID-19 across the province
22548149_web1_20200723-BPD-bonnie-henry-july17.20.bcg
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry updates the COVID-19 situation in B.C., July 17, 2020. (B.C. government)

There have been four COVID-19 cases in Cranbrook this year, according to newly-released data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

However, there are some caveats to that information, which was released on a map of the province breaking down the cumulative case numbers from Jan - July 2020 in specific regions.

The data includes the number of COVID-19 cases broken down by Local Health Areas as well as the case rate per 100,000. However, the BC CDC says the specific case counts are mapped by community of residence and may not represent the location of exposure.

Additionally, not all COVID-19 infected individuals are tested and reported, meaning the virus may be circulating undetected in the community.

Health Minister Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry, the Provincial Health Officer, released the map during a COVID-19 briefing on Thursday, as a way to illustrate its spread across the province.

“Today, we have provided the latest local health area map of COVID-19 cases,” reads part of a joint statement released by Dix and Henry. “The map will be updated each month and available on the BCCDC website. What the map tells us is that virtually every part of our province has been touched by the virus – communities large and small.

“Despite the spread of COVID-19, we must continue to find the balance of restarting our activities once again, while protecting our most vulnerable by doing our best to keep ourselves and those we care about safe.”

In the East Kootenay, there have been seven cases reported in the Fernie area, six cases in the Windermere area of the Columbia Valley and one case each in Kimberley and Creston.

On Thursday, the province announced that seven Teck contractors working on a water treatment plant at the Fording River operations tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release from Teck.

Six of those contractors are from Alberta, and one is from Vancouver Island. Four were staying at the employee lodge in Elkford, while three were residing in private accommodations.

The Lower mainland has the highest concentration of COVID-19 cases, with Surrey at 521 and Abbotsford at 454.

Since the beginning of the year, Interior Health has recorded a total of 429 cases and has 16 active cases as of Aug. 27. Of the total case count, 34 have been hospitalized, and two deaths have been reported.



trevor.crawley@cranbrooktownsman.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Want to support local journalism during the pandemic? Make a donation here.



Trevor Crawley

About the Author: Trevor Crawley

Trevor Crawley has been a reporter with the Cranbrook Townsman and Black Press in various roles since 2011.
Read more