The Tri-Cities has returned to a COVID-19 local case-count threshold it has not seen in more than 12 weeks.
A total of 59 infections were detected across Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra between Feb. 20 and 26.
That represents a 48 per cent decline from the previous week, which saw 114 cases tallied from Feb. 13 to 19.
The new data was published today (March 3) by the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) in its latest available Geographic Distribution of COVID-19 by Local Health Area of Case Residence report.
It marks the first time since the first week of December that the region recorded a double-digit count — 54 between Dec. 5 and 11.
However, the eighth straight weekly drop is also amid tighter testing restrictions for Tri-City residents and B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said that data moving forward may not be as accurate.
Earlier this month, the province stopped reporting data for how many people they believe are actively infected.
The Tri-Cities recorded the fifth highest number of weekly COVID-19 infections across Fraser Health, but it's one of the lowest in all of B.C.
The "hot spot" has moved out of the Lower Mainland back to the Central Okanagan where 272 cases were confirmed, followed by Kamloops at 246.
VACCINATION UPDATE
There were several increases in vaccination rates against COVID-19 across the Tri-Cities as well this past week.
Regional kids aged five to 11 saw a near five per cent weekly increase to 33 per cent for second doses.
Adolescents between 12 and 17 have reached a 36 per cent three-dose rate since booster shots became available for the age group Feb. 1, which is the second highest among all Fraser Health sub-regions.
Port Moody leads the category at the 40 per cent threshold; Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam are at 35 and 34 per cent respectively.
Across all booster vaccinations above the age of five, the Tri-Cities has the fourth-highest rate in Fraser Health (55) behind New Westminster (58), South Surrey/White Rock (57) and Burnaby (56).
