Alberta adds fewer than 200 new cases for 5th straight day but vaccine demand decreasing
Alberta reported fewer than 200 new cases of COVID-19 for a fifth straight day Monday, but demand for first doses of vaccine continues to wane.
The province reported 115 new infections Monday. Vaccinations among eligible Albertans continued to inch closer to the 70 per cent reopening threshold Monday with 68.8 per cent of those aged 12 and over having now received a first shot.
But, just over 3,500 new first doses were administered on Sunday, the lowest since late February according to the latest provincial data.
- Infographics: COVID-19 in Alberta by the numbers
- COVID-19 in Edmonton: Numbers broken down by neighbourhood
More than 2.6 million first doses of vaccine have now been administered, including just over 790,000 second doses, representing 20.8 per cent of the eligible population.
Also Monday, the number of COVID-19 deaths in Alberta rose by one, up to 2,270, with the death of a Central Zone woman in her 40s. She is the 70th Albertan under the age of 50 to die due to COVID-19.
Active cases fell to 3,089 the lowest level since mid-October.
There are now 270 people in hospital including 73 in intensive care units.
The province reported a 3.77 per cent test positivity based on approximately 3,300 tests.
VACCINE LOTTERY
Alberta entered Stage 2 of its reopening program on June 10, two weeks after reaching the target of 60 per cent of Albertans having had a first shot.
Stage 3, which lifts almost all restrictions, is set to begin two weeks after 70 per cent of eligible Albertans have received at least a first dose.
Earlier Monday, Premier Jason Kenney announced details of the province's vaccine lottery, aimed at getting more shots in arms as demand for first doses sags.
Alberta has among the lowest first-shot vaccination rates in Canada although it is among the leaders in second doses administered measured as a per cent of population.
All Albertans aged 18 and older are eligible to register for the announced three draws, the first of which will happen on Day 1 of the Stage 3 reopening.
Registration for the second and third draws closes on Aug. 24 and Sept. 23.
Each winner will have to provide proof of immunization. For the second and third prizes, winners will need to provide proof of their full immunization.
Other non-cash prizes, Kenney said during a news conference on Monday, will be announced in the coming weeks.
"We knew a point would come when we would run out of low-hanging fruit in terms of people who were eager to get the jab, and we reached that point about a week, two weeks ago," he said.
"Now it's a game of inches. We just have to get every single person we can."
With files from Alex Antoneshyn
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.