‘Wait and see’: Alberta seeing increase in positivity rate, wastewater data

Jason Copping said the positivity rate over the past seven days is 24.5 per cent, up from 22.8 per cent from the previous seven days.

He said wastewater surveillance data is also showing signs of rising transmission and the initial signs of increasing trends in communities across the province. He cautioned wastewater data is variable and the province is monitoring the trends.

“What remains to be seen is how big the impact may be and then what the impact will be on our health-care system,” he said at the province’s weekly Wednesday update.

Copping said it’s not unexpected to see a slight increase given the lifting of public health measures.

“There are simply more opportunities for the virus to spread as more and more people work from the office, return to travelling, socialize in various settings and resume their regular routines.”

He said that’s especially true as BA.2 Omicron subvariant is the dominant strain in Alberta and is known to be more transmissible than BA.1. He said the provincial lab has found around 70 per cent of all positive PCR test samples are BA.2, but there is no indication of it causing more severe illness.

He said the virus still with us, and promoted vaccination and encouraged people to make decisions for themselves that best suit their unique situation and risk tolerance.

The province is increasing the availability of Paxlovid, the first COVID-19 treatment approved by Health Canada that can be taken orally at home. Copping said any interested pharmacy in the province will be able to order Paxlovid treatments and that those providing Paxlovid in their communities can be found online.

Albertans who meet eligibility criteria must call Health Link at 1-844-343-0971. Health Link staff will ask screening questions to confirm eligibility and arrange for next steps. Paxlovid must be started within five days of the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

Albertans are asked to not call pharmacies or physician offices directly.

In the last seven days, COVID was the primary or a contributing factor in 70.9 per cent of non-ICU hospitalizations and 69.4 per cent of ICU admissions.

Among current hospitalizations, 28.1 per cent are unvaccinated, 4.2 per cent have had one dose, 30.7 per cent have had two doses and 37 per cent have had three doses.

Among Alberta’s total population, 81 per cent have received at least one dose of vaccine and 76.5 per cent have received two doses 36.4 per cent have received three doses.

Copping said chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw is taking time off this week but would return for next week’s update.

(The above report was compiled by Chris Brown of CHAT News Today, and stats below are compiled by Josh Hall of rdnewsNOW)

PROVINCIAL NUMBERS

*Numbers are up to date as of previous day’s end. Numbers in parentheses represent a seven-day change unless otherwise noted

Hospitalizations: 964 (+8)

ICU admissions: 47 (-9)

Deaths: 4,074 (+30)

MORE HEALTHCARE CAPACITY DATA

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*With the province limiting testing since the fifth wave, these confirmed cases do not accurately reflect the number of cases in the community.

Total cases: 540,733

March 22: 773 cases, 3,204 tests completed
March 23: 746 cases, 3,152 tests completed
March 24: 823 cases, 3,482 tests completed
March 25: 695 cases, 2,750 tests completed
March 26: 531 cases, 2,498 tests completed
March 27: 466 cases, 1,766 tests completed
March 28: 578 cases, 2,184 tests completed

>> Over last 7 days: 4,612
>> 7-day average: 659

Seven-day positivity rate: 24.48% (+2.48)

RED DEER

*Numbers are up to date as of previous day’s end. Numbers in parentheses represent a seven-day change unless otherwise noted

Total cases: 13,933 (+141)

7-day new case rate: 132.5 (+27.2)

Deaths: 102 (+2)

CENTRAL ZONE

*Numbers are up to date as of previous day’s end. Numbers in parentheses represent a seven-day change unless otherwise noted

Hospitalizations: 135 (+16)

ICU admissions: 2 (-4)

Deaths: 520 (+6)

Death details:

· Date of death: 3/19/2022. A female in her 60s in Central zone. The case did not involve pre-existing conditions.

· Date of death: 3/21/2022. A female in her 60s in Central zone. The case involved pre-existing conditions.

· Date of death: 3/21/2022. A male in his 50s in Central zone. The case involved pre-existing conditions.

· Date of death: 3/25/2022. A female in her 80s in Central zone. The case involved pre-existing conditions.

· Date of death: 3/25/2022. A male in his 60s in Central zone. The case involved pre-existing conditions.

· Date of death: 3/27/2022. A male in his 70s in Central zone. The case involved pre-existing conditions.

Elsewhere in the zone

Red Deer County: 96.4 (-15.1)

Sylvan Lake: 88.1 (+17.7)

Lacombe County: 45.3 (+4.5)

City of Lacombe: 47.9 (+5.4)

Ponoka County: 105.4 (+43.6)

For more data from central Alberta communities, click here.

VACCINATION DATA

WASTEWATER DATA

by Chris Brown (CHAT News Today) and Josh Hall (rdnewsNOW)

‘Wait and see’: Alberta seeing increase in positivity rate, wastewater data

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