COVID cases stop dropping in Langley, Surrey sees steep rise

After weeks of declines, Langley’s COVID numbers are stable, but several of its neighbours are on the way up, according to the most recent data from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).

Langley had 65 cases in the week from Dec. 5 to 11, up slightly from 63 cases the week before. This is the first increase in weeks, as Langley’s cases had been on a slow but steady decline from their early-October peak, when there were more than 240 cases in a week.

Several of Langley’s neighbouring communities saw rising numbers, however, including North Surrey, which saw 222 cases in a week.

Abbotsford, however, saw a sharp decline in COVID numbers, with just 44 cases in a week.

The BCCDC has updated its weekly information updates and now gives total numbers of weekly cases for each neighbourhood in Langley and other Lower Mainland communities.

In the week between Dec. 7 and 13, Walnut Grove-Fort Langley saw the highest case rate in the community at nine, with 21 total cases. Willoughby had 20 cases, Langley City had 18 cases, Brookswood/Murrayville had 10 cases. North Langley Township had five cases, while South Langley Township and Aldergrove/Otter had four each, and case rates as low as four.

Langley’s overall case rate – the number of cases per day, per 100,000 people – went up from five to seven.

The number of children in Langley who have been vaccinated jumped significantly from last week, but it remains one of the most unvaccinated communities in Fraser Health when it comes to kids aged five to 11.

As of Dec. 14, Langley has 13 per cent of children in that age group with one shot of the pediatric version of the Pfizer vaccine. That’s a big jump from just four per cent the week before.

However, most other communities are far ahead. Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows has seen 18 per cent of children in that age group begin their vaccinations, South Surrey-White Rock is at 19 per cent, Delta is at 23 per cent, and New Westminster has vaccinated 28 per cent of kids five to 11.

When it comes to booster doses for those over 70 years old, Langley is in the middle of the pack in Fraser Health, with 61 per cent of people having received their third shot.

READ MORE: Langley sees slow uptake of COVID vaccine for kids