Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical health officer. (Gov't. of Alberta live stream)

By Troy Gillard

Central Zone cases continue to rise

Alberta reports more than 100 new COVID-19 cases

Jul 16, 2020 | 4:25 PM

Alberta’s daily count of confirmed COVID-19 cases has risen above 100 for the first time in more than two months.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw reported 120 new cases of the virus on Thursday. The last time the daily count topped 100 was back on May 2.

There were 8,217 tests completed in the past 24 hours.

The number of active cases in the province has risen to 807. That’s an increase of 103 cases from Wednesday’s report.

Hinshaw said the rise in new cases is concerning, and she’s particularly concerned about the number of cases that are from an unknown source.

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She said one of the most significant areas of risk continues to be social gatherings and gatherings where people are not observing physical distancing.

“I want to emphasize that the numbers that we’re seeing today is a reflection of what transmission was happening about one to two weeks ago and so the activities that we’re seeing today will result in cases in another one to two weeks,” she said mentioning activity seen on beaches in Alberta last weekend, including Sylvan Lake.

“Our success in the future is in all of our hands.”

There are 69 people in Alberta hospitals because of the virus. Eight of them are in intensive care.

Two more deaths were reported Thursday which brings Alberta’s fatality count from COVID-19 to 165.

In the Central Zone, the number of active cases has risen to 75, an increase of 14.

In Red Deer, the case numbers remain unchanged from Wednesday with eight active and 37 recovered.

Elsewhere in the Central Zone:

Stettler and County – 12 active cases, 3 recovered

Three Hills area – 8 active cases, 2 recovered

Lacombe County – 5 active, 3 recovered

Ponoka – 5 active, 2 recovered

Didsbury – 3 active, 3 recovered

Castor/Coronation/Consort – 4 active, 0 recovered

Olds – 1 active, 4 recovered

Rimbey – 1 active, 0 recovered

Drayton Valley – 1 active, 0 recovered

Wetaskiwin County – 1 active, 7 recovered

There are also active cases in Camrose and county (6), Drumheller area (3), Viking (3), Leduc/Devon (2), Viking (3), Oyen (3), Flagstaff County (2), Wainwright (2), Vermillion River County (1) and in the ‘Planning and Special Area’ east of Drumheller (1).

The figures on alberta.ca are “up-to-date as of end of day July 15, 2020.”

(With file from Chris Brown – CHAT News Today)