North Shore COVID cases remain low, data suggests, despite emergence of BA.2

COVID-19 cases on the North Shore appear to be holding steady at a relatively low level, despite the recent emergence of the more transmissible BA.2 variant in B.C.

Wastewater data showing COVID-19 concentrations at the Lions Gate sewage treatment plant showed approximately 32,200 viral parts per litre April 3, just slightly lower than the concentration recorded on March 23.

But that's still significantly lower than the approximately 67,500 parts per litre being detected at the beginning of February and the peak of 333,000 parts per litre in the first week of January.

Hospitalizations and positive PCR tests both down

On March 24 – the last day information was available from Vancouver Coastal Health – there were six COVID-19 cases at Lions Gate Hospital, three of those in ICU.

Limited data available on case counts continues to point to a decline in cases on the North Shore. According to B.C.'s Centre for Disease Control, the number of new cases reported by official PCR tests on the North Shore was 81 between March 27 and April 2, about half the number of cases reported at the beginning of February. Of those, 72 cases were in North Vancouver and 9 were in West Vancouver. PCR testing is not available to most people and so is considered only a small subset of the actual numbers of COVID infections. Those numbers, however, have continued to decline since a high of more than 900 cases in the first week of January.

Official case rates are sitting at three daily cases per 100,000 people in North Vancouver and two daily cases per 100,000 in West Vancouver.

Between 50 and 60 % of North Shore kids have received two doses of vaccine

Between 92 and 95 per cent of adults on the North Shore have had two doses of vaccine and between 65 and 69 per cent have received a booster shot – higher than the provincial average.

Between 51 and 62 per cent of children five to 11 on the North Shore have also received two doses of COVID vaccine.

The ICBC site vaccine clinic remains open for children aged five-11, while adults are now being directed to get their shots at local pharmacies, VCH confirmed.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, said hospitalizations in B.C. are continuing to decline, despite the recent emergence of the BA.2 variant of the virus in B.C. That variant is considered between 20 and 30 per cent more transmissible than previous versions of the virus.

BA.2 variant up to 75 % of cases in B.C.

BA.2 now makes up between 70 and 75 of all cases of the virus in the province.

According to serum antibody tests run on samples of blood leftover from provincial lab tests, about 90 per cent of B.C.’s population now has antibodies to COVID-19 – either from vaccination or previous infection by the virus.

Even among children under four – who cannot be vaccinated – about 60 per cent show antibodies to the virus, according to information presented by the province this week.

Henry said the greatest risk for hospitalization continues to be among those over 80.

Fourth booster shot will be offered to seniors over 70

Starting later this month, the province plans to roll out a fourth booster dose to vaccine to seniors over the age of 70 and Indigenous people over 55, as well as to immunocompromised people considered extremely vulnerable.

At the same time, the province has rolled back most previous health orders including mask mandates and vaccine passports.