Alberta COVID-19 hospitalizations lowest since January 2022, 20 deaths added
Alberta now has 518 people in hospital with COVID-19, 12 of whom are receiving care in ICUs.
That is a decrease of 36 hospitalizations and three ICU admissions compared to last week's update.
The last time Alberta's hospitalization numbers were this low was in Jan. 2022.
Alberta Health data is routinely updated for accuracy and to account for reporting delays. Last week’s hospital numbers were retroactively increased from 554 to 578.
According to the province, 239 of the 578 people in hospital with COVID-19 last week were hospitalized for reasons directly related to the virus, while the other 339 people were admitted for other reasons, but incidentally tested positive. In the ICU, 58 per cent of patients were being treated because of COVID-19.
Alberta’s total number of COVID-19-related deaths went up by 20. All of the new deaths reported were retroactively added to past weeks. None of the deaths belong to this week.
Since its last data update, Alberta Health has counted 347 new COVID-19 cases in 4,565 PCR tests. That is a decrease of 38 cases and 200 tests compared to last week's update.
The number of new cases is likely higher because of testing limitations and because the province doesn't count positive results from rapid tests.
The average positivity rate is now at 7.84 per cent.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
On Mar. 6, 2021, 245 Albertans were hospitalized with COVID-19. In 2022, 1,130 patients were in hospital with the virus, while there were 518 people this year.
In 2021, there were 38 people with COVID-19 in intensive care on Mar. 6, compared to last year's 75 and this year's 12.
It is not known how many people in 2020 and 2021 were hospitalized and admitted to the ICU because of the virus versus people who were admitted for other reasons and incidentally tested positive, as that statistic was only made available by Alberta Health as of February 2022.
Alberta had 1,213 COVID-19-related deaths in 2020 and 2,106 in 2021. Last year had the highest number of fatalities, with 2,118.
There have been 185 COVID-19-related deaths to date, bringing the province's pandemic death toll to 5,622.
The next data update is scheduled for Wednesday, Mar. 15.
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.