In the last two weeks, there have been 107 people in the Okanagan who tested positive for COVID-19, according to new data from the BC Centre for Disease Control, compared to just two across the Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap.

Around 80 cases are linked to the Kelowna exposure – most are in Interior Health – but health officials say over 1,000 people throughout B.C. are now self-isolating after they were exposed to the virus.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says the spike in active cases is a wake up call for people to ensure they’re following all of the public health orders.

“We know that our efforts in March and April and May and June flattened the curve, but July reminds us that we all need to keep working individually and collectively,” he said. “No matter where are in B.C., no matter what we are doing, this is a summer of renewal.”

As of Thursday afternoon, there are 88 active COVID-19 cases across Interior Health, with 92 new cases reported since July 16. In all, there have 315 cases in the Interior – 309 test positive, and six believed to be epi-linked. Broken down further, it is 210 cases in the Okanagan and 71 in the Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap.

“Visits to long term care, school for children, surgeries for patients, our economy, our health, our safety, our family, our friends, our loved ones – we are counting on one and other,” Dix added. “It depends on us stopping the spread right now, and we have to continue to join or re-join the fight to do so.”

There are still just two people in hospital across the Interior Health Authority, and there have also been just the two deaths.

The median age for cases however in the Interior is by far the lowest at 38 years, compared to 46 in both Northern Health and Fraser Health, 50 on Vancouver Island, and 55 in Vancouver Coastal Health.

Earlier this week, Premier John Horgan called on people to use common sense in response to the COVID-19 cluster caused by parties in downtown Kelowna on and around Canada Day this year.

You’ll find the most recent province-wide breakdown of COVID-19 cases here.

More data here. Now 88 active cases across @Interior_Health as of July 23, with 92 new cases reported since July 16 alone.

There are still just two people in hospital in the health authority. #Kamloops #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/2TSawMBU6t

— Victor Mario Kaisar (@supermario_47) July 24, 2020