Alberta records 2,181 new cases of COVID-19, 30 additional deaths since Friday

Overall active cases, hospitalizations and intensive care admissions due to COVID-19 continue to decline in Alberta.

Since Friday, Alberta has recorded 2,181 new cases of the disease. On Friday, 783 new cases were reported, 791 cases were identified Saturday and 607 cases were reported Sunday.

The province currently sits at 12,302 active cases of COVID-19, down slightly from 12,978 active cases on Friday.

Of the active cases, 3,104 are in the Calgary zone, 2,913 are in the Edmonton zone, 2,576 are in the North zone, 2,393 are in the Central zone, 1,300 are in the South zone and 16 are not tied to any specific zone.

There are now 981 people in hospital with COVID-19, down from 1,000 patients hospitalized on Friday afternoon. ICU admissions due to COVID-19 have dropped from 229 patients on Friday to 225 patients on Monday.

Of the non-ICU patients in hospital, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health said 72.5 per cent are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. Of the 225 people in ICU, 90.6 per cent are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, according to Dr. Deena Hinshaw.

In total, there are 295 patients in intensive care across Alberta, including both patients with and without COVID-19.

Overall, Alberta Health Services said the number of patients in ICU in the province has increased by 1.4 per cent in the past seven days. AHS pointed out ICU capacity constantly fluctuates.

Provincially, ICU capacity is at 78 per cent. Without additional surge spaces, provincial ICU capacity would be at 170 per cent.

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In the last three days, 30 COVID-related deaths have been reported to Alberta Health, bringing the province’s death toll to 2,976.

Eleven of the deaths were reported in the South zone: two men in their 60s with no known pre-existing conditions, as well as a man in his 70s, two men in their 80s, two women in their 80s, three men in their 90s and a woman in her 90s, all with pre-existing conditions.

Ten deaths occurred in the Central zone: a man in his 60s and a woman in her 80s with no known pre-existing conditions, as well as a woman in her 40s, two women in their 70s, two men in their 70s, two men in their 80s and a woman in her 80s with pre-existing conditions.

Four deaths were reported in the Edmonton zone: a man in his 80s with no known pre-existing conditions, as well as a woman in her 60s, a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s with pre-existing conditions.

Three deaths occurred in the North zone: a man in his 70s with no known pre-existing conditions, as well as a man in his 30s and a woman in her 80s with pre-existing conditions.

Two deaths were reported in the Calgary zone: a woman in her 60s and a woman in her 80s, both with pre-existing conditions.

Of Alberta’s eligible population 12 and older, 86 per cent have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 77.4 per cent are fully vaccinated with two doses.

Earlier Monday, Pfizer officially asked Health Canada to approve the first COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11 years old.

As soon as the regulator gives the green light, providers will be able to start offering the COVID-19 shot to kids, though new child-sized doses might need to be procured.

The doses are about one-third the size given to adults and teens age 12 and up.

With files from The Canadian Press.