By Troy Gillard

friday update

Red Deer down to 331 active COVID cases as Alberta reaches vaccination milestone

May 28, 2021 | 4:11 PM

Red Deer’s active COVID-19 case count has gone down once again.

Friday’s numbers from the province show the city with 331 active cases, down 37 from Thursday.

Recoveries are up 57 to 5,190 as the total number of COVID-19 cases attributed to Red Deer rose 20 to 5,560.

Red Deer’s death toll stemming from COVID-19 remains 39.

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52,475 Red Deerians have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, including 9,193 who are fully vaccinated with two doses.

Elsewhere locally as of Friday (by municipality):

Red Deer County – 73 active cases (down five from Thursday)

Sylvan Lake – 51 (-7)

Lacombe County – 52 (-4)

Lacombe – 61 (-6)

Ponoka County – 72 (+2)

Brazeau County – 34 (-1)

Clearwater County – 69 (-2)

Mountain View County – 32 (-5)

Olds – 20 (-2)

Kneehill County – 24 (–)

County of Stettler – 31 (-4)

The Central Zone as a whole has 1,066 active cases as of Friday, down 79, and 52 hospitalizations, including 12 receiving intensive care at Red Deer Regional Hospital. The Central Zone has had 154 deaths linked to COVID-19.

Across the province, Alberta reported 512 new cases on Friday out of 7,703 test results for a positivity rate of 6.6 per cent.

Active cases across the province are down to 8,760, a one-day decrease of 1,257.

There are 517 Albertans hospitalized due to the virus, down 21, including 147 in intensive care, down three.

Seven new deaths linked to COVID-19 were reported in the past day to bring the province’s total to 2,206.

The province hit another vaccination milestone Thursday as 60.3 per cent of eligible Albertans have now received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, meaning Stage 2 easing of public health restrictions could begin on June 10, subject to hospitalizations being below 500 and trending downwards.

Stage 2 increases the number allowed at outdoor social gatherings to up to 20 people and also includes a return of in-person dining at restaurants, some indoor recreation and the resumption of youth and adult sports, among other changes.

The two-week waiting period begins once the 60 per cent trigger has been met to provide time for the vaccine to take effect.

The number of people hospitalized due to COVID-19 remains above the threshold.

“With our vaccination program protecting more Albertans every day and fewer Albertans in hospital due to COVID-19, we are on the right track to a safe reopening. Our government is watching the evidence and is working to protect both lives and livelihoods across the province,” said Premier Jason Kenney.

“The next two weeks will be a critical time for Alberta,” noted Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health. “The more we can drive our numbers down in the next few weeks by all following public health measures, and the more Albertans who are protected by immunization, the more successful we will be in our opening.”