COVID-19 deaths increase by 7 as downward hospitalization trend continues in Alberta

Parents waiting on COVID-19 vaccine plan Alberta is now the only province without a public plan to vaccinate young children against COVID-19. Nicole Lampa reports.

The number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Alberta grew by seven on Thursday, as the province’s hospitalization count continued a general downwards trend.

The deaths were spread across several days and were of individuals ranging in age from in their 40s to more than 80 years old.

They bring the total number of COVID-19 deaths in Alberta since the start of the pandemic up to 3,946.

The report listed 1,204 COVID-19 patients in hospital, including 80 in intensive care units.

Wednesday’s count of 1,231 in hospital was revised Thursday to 1,249.

Hospitalization and death data is regularly revised to account for accuracy and reporting delays.

There are now just under 8,000 known active cases in Alberta after 539 new cases were confirmed over the last 24 hours. Limits to testing capacity and eligibility mean the actual numbers of new and active cases are many times higher.

Alberta moved to Step 2 of its reopening plan on Tuesday with the removal of gathering and capacity limits as well as masking rules in most settings.

Masks must still be worn on public transit, continuing and acute care settings as well as within Edmonton as the city’s own mask bylaw remains in effect.

Unvaccinated Albertans are outnumbered nearly four-to-one by those who have had at least a first shot of vaccine, but remain many times more likely to experience a severe outcome due to COVID-19 including hospitalization or death.

Alberta has now administered close to 8.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, with 80.9 per cent of the population having had at least one dose and 76 per cent having had two shots.

The next data update is scheduled for Friday.