COVID-19 in Alberta: ICU patient count reaches 2-month high; nearly 2,000 weekend cases

Edmonton -

Alberta recorded a two-month high in the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units while the province added nearly 2,000 cases over the weekend.

Monday's report includes data from Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

There are 54 COVID-19 patients in Alberta ICUs, nearly 2 1/2 times more than at the start of the month and the highest since June 23.

Those 54 are included in the 244 patients in hospital, the higest since June 16.

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The province reported 1,972 new cases over that three-day period, bringing the seven-day rolling daily average up to 665, about where it was in mid-May.

Active cases have increased to 7,777, the first time they've exceeded 7,000 since late May. 

Five new deaths due to COVID-19 were reported Monday, bringing the number of Albertans who have died due to COVID-19 up to 2,348. Twenty-one of those deaths have occured since Aug. 1, including 11 in the past week. 

Among eligible Albertans, 77.3 per cent have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 68.8 per cent have had a second shot.​

The next data update is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.