Alberta reports 531 COVID-19 cases, 12 more deaths

EDMONTON -

Alberta reported 531 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday as hospitalizations and ICU admissions continued to decline.

The provincial positivity rate sits at 5.4 per cent after approximately 10,200 tests were completed. There are now 8,387 active infections and the seven-day average for reported cases is around 587.

There are now 779 Albertans in hospital with COVID-19, including 185 receiving intensive care.

“With 185 people in ICUs today for COVID, we continue to sit at about the peak of what we reached in our third wave,” Dr. Deena Hinshaw said. “We need to come down from that because of course that’s just the COVID patients and there are other patients in ICU.” 

Twelve more Albertans had died from COVID-19, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said, raising the total deaths to 3,085.

The deaths reported on Thursday included two people in their 40s and 50s, three in their 60s, and seven over the age of 70.

As of Thursday, there are active alerts of outbreaks in 245 schools across the province.

With Halloween approaching, the province’s top doctor offered the following pieces of advice to stay safe:

• Limit contact with members of other households;
• Hand out candy with tongs or setting treats outside that are spaced apart to minimize touchpoints;
• Gatherings are limited to 10 people indoors or 20 people outside; and
• Wearing a mask while trick-or-treating.

“Let’s make good choices to ensure there’s no Halloween spike in two weeks from now,” Hinshaw added. “Everyone’s actions matter.”

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