By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

sunday update

Red Deer surpasses 2,000 COVID cases as active caseload surges

Feb 7, 2021 | 3:52 PM

COVID-19 hospitalizations across the province of Alberta now total 434, down from 457.

If that number can stay below for 450 for three straight weeks, the province will then re-evaluate whether it’s safe enough to progress to the next step of its plan to ease restrictions. Step one is set to commence Monday.

There are 81 Albertans in ICU, down three from Saturday.

In addition, the province is reporting 351 new cases of COVID-19. With recoveries taken into account, the active caseload dropped today from 6,266 to 6,242.

The positivity rate for the last one-day reporting period (up to the end of Saturday) is approximately 4.3 per cent with 8,241 tests done in the last day.

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There have been 1,709 deaths, with four reported to Alberta Health in the last day. They occurred between Jan. 4 and Feb. 5, with three in Edmonton Zone and one in Calgary Zone.

In Red Deer, active cases continue to rise with the city now at 275. That’s up from 247 just yesterday, and represents a 74 per cent increase since Jan. 24. The provincial active caseload has gone down 34.4 per cent in the same span.

It’s also the most active cases in Red Deer since Dec. 30.

Also on Sunday, Red Deer surpassed the 2,000 mark for total cases and now sits at 2,023. That’s an increase of 38 in the last day.

Active cases across Central Zone

Red Deer County: 24 (+2)

Sylvan Lake: 27 (+1)

Lacombe County: 21 (-5)

City of Lacombe: 30 (+7)

Ponoka County: 92 (+1)

Clearwater County: 36 (-2)

Brazeau County: 5 (–)

Mountain View County: 8 (–)

Olds: 3 (–)

Kneehill County: 2 (–)

County of Stettler: 6 (+1)

Central Zone now has 694 active cases, an increase of 40 from yesterday. The zone added 66 new cases in the last day. There are 32 people in hospital, the same as Saturday, and four people (all in Red Deer) are in ICU, down one. A total of 97 people have died, though none in the last day.

School cases since last Sunday
*alert declared = 2-4 cases

Red Deer – St. Thomas Aquinas School – alert declared

Red Deer – St. Francis of Assisi Middle School – alert declared

Red Deer – St. Teresa of Avila – alert declared

Three Hills – Prairie Christian Academy – alert declared

Rocky Mountain House – Lochearn Elementary School – alert declared

Sylvan Lake – Ecole Mother Teresa – outbreak declared (5-9 cases) – closed until Feb. 22

Dr. Deena Hinshaw will be holding her next live COVID-19 update on Monday, Feb. 8.

More information is at www.alberta.ca/covid19.