Hospitalizations mounting as Alberta adds 1K new cases for 3rd straight day

Edmonton -

Severe outcomes due to COVID-19 continued to grow in Alberta on Friday while the province added more than a thousand new cases for a third straight day.

There are 336 COVID-19 patients in hospital, an increase of 244 since the start of the month and the highest patient count since June 7.

Included in that number are 74 patients in intensive care units, the highest since June 11.

Unvaccinated patients, those who have not received a shot at all, comprise 71 per cent of those in hospital (non ICU) and 93 per cent of those in ICU.

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The province reported 1,168 new cases Friday, bringing the seven-day rolling daily average up to 853, about where it was in mid-may, and the number of active cases to 9,655.

Five new deaths due to COVID-19 were reported Friday, bringing the number of Albertans who have died due to COVID-19 up to 2,364 after one death was removed from the count. Thirty-seven of those deaths have occured since Aug. 1, including 18 in the past seven days. 

Among eligible Albertans, 77.7 per cent have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 69.3 per cent have had a second shot.​

The next data update is scheduled for Monday afternoon and will include data from Friday, Saturday and Sunday.