Copping: Latest numbers trending in right direction as March approaches

The number of Albertans in hospital with or due to COVID-19 was 1,500, of which 121 were in ICU. Those numbers are down to 1,373 and 90, respectively.

Copping said the health system remains in a strong position as the province gets past the Omicron wave and works to improve access and reduce wait times.

As the fifth wave subsides and the easing of more measures is to be announced this weekend, Copping said some continue to be concerned about protecting themselves from the virus.

“But the science is clear. The single most effective way to protect ourselves and each other is by getting vaccinated,” he said, adding that includes booster doses. He said 86.8 per cent of adult Albertans have received at least two doses of vaccine, only 44.9 per cent have received their third dose.

The minister said getting more Albertans vaccinated is one of his priorities and announced increased access to vaccination for children aged five to 11 years old.

There are now 1,491 Albertans in hospital with COVID-19, 116 of which are in ICU, and 3,822 deaths.

In the last seven days, COVID was the primary or a contributing factor in 69.7 per cent of non-ICU hospitalizations and 86 per cent of ICU admissions.

*COVID-19 data reported today (Feb. 23) followed technical issues over the long weekend, therefore, not all regular one- or multi-day differences tracked by rdnewsNOW are included in this update

PROVINCIAL NUMBERS

Hospitalizations: 1,373

ICU admissions: 90

Deaths: 3,883

MORE HEALTHCARE CAPACITY DATA

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Total cases: 523,104

>> Feb. 18: 817 (Friday)
>> Feb. 19: 520 (Saturday)
>> Feb. 20: 509 (Sunday)
>> Feb. 21: 497 (Monday)
>> Feb. 22: 791 (Tuesday)

Active caseload: 11,189

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

RED DEER

*Numbers in this section are up to date as of previous day’s end. Numbers in parentheses represent a five-day change

Total cases: 13,242 (+82)

Total recoveries: 12,821 (+194)

Active caseload: 327 (-115) >> lowest since Dec. 29, 2021

Deaths: 94 (+3)

CENTRAL ZONE

Hospitalizations: 141

ICU admissions: 4

Active caseload: 1,464

Deaths: 488

Death details (zone only):

· Date of death: 1/22/2022. A female in her 90s in Central zone. The case involved pre-existing conditions.

· Date of death: 2/13/2022. A male in his 30s in Central zone. The case did not involve pre-existing conditions.

· Date of death: 2/16/2022. A female in her 60s in Central zone. The case involved pre-existing conditions.

· Date of death: 2/18/2022. A male in his 80s in Central zone. The case did not involve pre-existing conditions.

· Date of death: 2/20/2022. A male in his 80s in Central zone. The case did not involve pre-existing conditions.

· Date of death: 2/21/2022. A male in his 70s in Central zone. The case involved pre-existing conditions.

· Date of death: 2/21/2022. A male in his 70s in Central zone. The case did not involve pre-existing conditions.

Elsewhere in the zone

Red Deer County: 120

Sylvan Lake: 52

Lacombe County: 44

City of Lacombe: 43

Ponoka County: 160

For more data from central Alberta communities, click here.

VACCINATIONS – With the slow in vaccination rates growing, rdnewsNOW has decided to update these numbers once per week only, on Tuesday.

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

Copping: Latest numbers trending in right direction as March approaches

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