COVID-19 in Alberta: Hospitalizations hit 75-day high, 8 deaths reported Tuesday

Trying to predict the fifth wave Researchers are trying to figure out a clearer picture of COVID-19 cases in Alberta. CTV News Edmonton’s Chelan Skulski reports.

The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Alberta rose to 708 on Tuesday, its highest point in 75 days.

It’s the most hospitalized COVID-19 patients since Oct. 29, 2021 and includes 80 patients in intensive care units, itself the most since Nov. 25, 2021.

The province also reported eight new deaths on Tuesday, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths in Alberta up 3,352.

The deaths were in individuals aged between in the 60s to more than 80 years old.

The province reported 4,704 new COVID-19 cases on 12,200 tests, and there are now more than 58,000 known active cases in the province.

On Monday, the province introduced a number of new restrictions to testing eligibility with its chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, estimating the true case count was more than 10 times that indicated by PCR results.

Nearly 8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Alberta to date with 79.7 per cent of all Albertans having had at least a first dose and 73.2  per cent having had a second dose.

More than a quarter of all Albertans, 26.6 per cent, have also had a booster dose.

Compared to those with two doses, unvaccinated Albertans remain multiple times more likely to suffer a severe outcome such as hospitalization or death.

The next data update is scheduled for Wednesday.