COVID-19 in Alberta: Hospitalizations remain above 1,000 for eleventh week; 46 new deaths
Alberta now has 1,042 Albertans in hospital with the coronavirus, 38 of whom are receiving care in ICUs.
That is a decrease of 35 hospitalizations based off of last week’s update. The number of ICU admissions has decreased by eight.
Alberta Health data is routinely updated for accuracy and to account for reporting delays, and last week’s hospital numbers were retroactively increased from 1,077 to 1,131.
According to the province, 449 of the 1,131 people in hospital with COVID-19 last week were hospitalized for reasons directly related to the disease, while the other 682 people were admitted for other reasons, but incidentally tested positive. In the ICU, 50 per cent of patients were being treated because of the virus.
Alberta’s total number of COVID-19 related deaths went up by 46. Of the new deaths reported, 34 were retroactively added to past weeks, while 12 belong to this week.
Nine of the deaths were people between the ages of 60-69, nine were people aged 70 to 79 and the other 28 deaths were people 80 years or older.
The provincial death toll now sits at 5,262.
Alberta Health counted 1,147 new COVID-19 cases in 8,427 PCR tests. That is a decrease of 157 cases and 1,545 tests compared to last week.
The number of new cases is likely much higher because of testing limitations and because the province doesn't count positive results from rapid tests.
The average positivity rate is now at 14.17 per cent.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
On Dec. 5, 2021, there were 383 Albertans hospitalized with COVID-19. This year, there are more than double that amount, with 1,042 patients in hospital with the virus.
The wave that started in August 2021 and steadily grew throughout the fall reached its peak on Sep. 27 with 1,130 people in hospital and began to descend shortly thereafter. Alberta reached the same amount of hospitalizations by Oct. 23 of this year, hitting a peak of 1,188 on Nov. 14.
Hospitalizations have remained above 1,000 since Sept. 25.
In 2021, there were 66 people in intensive care on Dec. 5, compared to this year's 38 and 105 in 2020.
Alberta’s fall wave in 2021 saw the highest number of patients requiring intensive care in the entirety of the pandemic, with 257 people in the ICU with COVID-19 at its peak on Sept. 28.
The next data update is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 14.
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.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
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.