COVID-19 in Alberta: 788 weekend cases, 1 death as Omicron count grows to 11
Alberta reported 788 new cases of COVID-19 and five more deaths on Monday, as the number of Omicron cases in the province grew to 11.
Monday’s report included weekend data from Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
- Infographics: COVID-19 in Alberta by the numbers
- COVID-19 in your community: Edmonton’s coronavirus status in numbers
The deaths were in those aged between in their 50s to over 80 years old and bring the total number of deaths due to COVID-19 in Alberta up to 3,263.
There are now 366 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, including 72 in intensive care units.
Eight new cases of the Omicron variant were detected over the weekend. Eight of the 11 total cases cases are in Calgary Zone, two are in the Edmonton Zone, and the remaining case is in the North Zone.
An additional 12th case was identified but is in a person living out of the province and not included in the tally.
On Monday, the province's top doctor tweeted that some household members of those cases have tested positive for COVID-19, but have not yet been confirmed as Omicron.
An elementary school in the North Zone and a high school have also been notified after two of the contacts attended classes.
"The schools will notify any potentially exposed groups & additional testing is being recommended. It is recommended that anyone who receives a notification letter go for testing & monitor for symptoms. Anyone w/COVID-19 symptoms must isolate & should be tested through AHS," Dr. Deena Hinshaw tweeted Monday morning.
The schools are being given rapid tests to distribute to families so they can monitor at home.
"Unvaccinated children may continue to attend school & childcare but should avoid crowded public places for 14 days after the last exposure. Fully vaccinated may continue to attend school & other activities but should monitor closely for symptoms," the tweet read.
According to Hinshaw, the increase in Omicron infections was not "unexpected."
"Identifying these cases early is a testament to the work of our public health lab & front-line public health teams. We will continue to monitor the situation carefully & keep Albertans updated," she said.
Also Monday, vaccination data was updated for the first time since Thursday. Among all Albertans, 77.2 per cent have had at least one dose of vaccine, and 71.8 per cent of the entire population has had a second dose.
More than 63,000 doses of vaccine have now been administered to children between the ages of five and 11.
Unvaccinated Albertans remain significantly more likely to suffer a severe outcome after contracting COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.
Alberta’s next data update is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Feds hope to table foreign interference legislation next week: LeBlanc
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to table legislation this week to help the federal government address foreign interference, but he wouldn't say whether the proposal will include a foreign agent registry.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.