Image Credit: BC CDC (see link in article for full image)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

COVID-19 MAPPING

COVID-19 arrives in North Thompson, with 27 cases identified in Kamloops last week

Dec 31, 2020 | 11:04 AM

KAMLOOPS — After managing to escape official infections for months, the first recorded cases of the COVID-19 virus have shown up in the North Thompson region. The case data was revealed as the BC Centre for Disease Control updated its virus mapping of local health areas.

The North Thompson region appeared on CDC mapping for the first time last week, with 3 cases identified.

Prior to the map update, Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell took to Facebook yesterday (Dec. 30) to remind residents that the zero case data doesn’t necessarily mean the region has avoided virus contact.

“I strongly suspect that there have been active cases in Clearwater, but the way data is reported, there is no way to officially confirm that,” he wrote, “If someone came home from somewhere else with Covid, like Alberta, that case will likely be in Alberta’s data. Those cases won’t even show of in the BC totals, even if the person recovering is in BC.”

Mayor Blackwell went on remind residents that anyone who gets tested needs to self isolate until their result comes back negative.

The Creative Edge

PEARCE: Writer's block - is it real?

10h ago

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Do you understand what's at stake Saturday?

19h ago

The Tattle of Hastings

THE TATTLE OF HASTINGS: Mutrie looks back on 10 years

Oct 16, 2024

Meantime, 27 COVID-19 cases were identified in Kamloops between December 20-26. That’s a decrease from the 35 cases identified in Kamloops between December 13 to 19.

These are some other LHA totals in the Kamloops vicinity, recorded last week:

Cariboo/Chilcotin – 2 (up by 2 from last week)

North Thompson – 3 (up by 3)

100 Mile House – 1 (unchanged)

South Cariboo – 0 (down by 1)

Lillooet – 2 (unchanged)

Merritt – 2 (up by 2)

Vernon – 48 (up by 20)

Armstrong-Spallumcheen – 4 (up by 3)

Enderby – 8 (up by 6)

Salmon Arm — 2 (down by 12)

Revelstoke – 22 (up by 15)

View the complete map here. The map is updated weekly on Wednesday.