Alberta reports 12 deaths, 442 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday
Alberta has reported 442 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday after 7,786 tests were completed on Monday.
In her COVID-19 update, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said there are 242 active alerts or outbreaks in schools in the province. Two of those schools had 10 or more students with COVID-19 who were at the school.
There are currently 836 people in hospital in Alberta with COVID-19, including 182 in intensive care. Hinshaw reported 12 people have died from the disease in the last 24 hours.
THANKSGIVING IMPACT
Hinshaw called the decreasing number of hospitalizations “encouraging” as it is past the point in time where an increase directly due to Thanksgiving would have occurred.
“There is one small caveat… if there are significant spreading events on that particular date or on that weekend, it could potentially cross into multiple networks and sometimes we see a secondary impact,” said Hinshaw. “Right now we’re at that point in time where we’re monitoring for that.
“We know there’s still a lot of COVID out there and we do need to maintain caution.”
Hinshaw encouraged people who are fully vaccinated to remember that people who have not yet gotten a vaccine may have different reasons for not doing so.
“Good decision making is hard to do when we are in a strong emotional state like anger or fear, so whether we are fully vaccinated or not, the more we can listen respectfully to each other, without anger, the more possible it is to open space for ongoing dialogue and understanding each other’s perspectives,” said Hinshaw.
As of Tuesday, 6,482,574 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the province. Of Alberta's eligible population, 86.7 have had one dose of vaccine and 79.2 are fully vaccinated.
There have been around 505,000 vaccine doses administered in the past six weeks, which Hinshaw attributed to the Restrictions Exemption Program in the province.
She added that it is “much too soon” to begin easing restrictions “because we do not have the capacity to take any more surges in acute care admissions right now.”
Hinshaw will host a telephone town hall with two doctors from the University of Calgary on Wednesday between 6:15 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. She will be answering questions about vaccines, fertility and maternal health.
Anyone who wants to participate can register before noon Wednesday at Alberta.ca/townhall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.