According to the latest update from the BC Centre for Disease Control’s Situation Report, there were five cases of COVID-19 reported in Cranbrook between January 3 and 9, 2021.

Kimberley saw none during this time period, while Fernie reported three cases.

This data also shows that between January 8 and January 14, there were 24 cases reported in the East Kootenay region. From January 1, 2020 to January 14, 2021, there has been a total of 229 cases in the region.

According to Interior Health, there are no potential exposures currently reported within the local school district, SD5.

Vaccines are starting to roll out in Interior Health communities and as the Townsman reported at the beginning of the month, public health teams with Interior Health will roll out immunizations based on the the province’s priority sequence. This will initially focus on residents, staff and essential visitors to long-term care and assisted living residences; individuals in hospital or community awaiting a long-term care placement, health care workers providing care for COVID-19 patients in medical facilities, and remote and isolated First Nation communities.

So far, almost 80,000 people in B.C. have received a vaccine. There are reports that the Pfizer-BioNTech shipments are expected to slow down across the country, and the deputy provincial health officer says the province is prepared to adjust its vaccine rollout in the event that delays do happen.

The next B.C. Situation Report will come out on January 22, 2021. The BC CDC is updating their data more frequently than they were last year.