'Unprecedented patient demand': Alberta reports 1,660 new COVID-19 cases, 17 deaths
Alberta reported 1,660 new cases of COVID-19 and 17 new deaths on Thursday.
The province completed about 18,000 tests, bringing the positivity rate to around 9.4 per cent.
There are now 1,058 people in hospital being treated for COVID-19, including 226 in ICU.
The number of people in hospitals with COVID-19 and patients in ICU represents the second-highest numbers to date.
There are now 20,180 active cases in Alberta. The seven day average of new cases is at 1,610 infections.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said 100 per cent of the new admissions to ICU were not vaccinated.
Seventeen more Albertans died from COVID-19, raising the pandemic death toll to 2,611. Among the deaths reported Thursday was a woman in her 30s who had no pre-existing conditions.
Hinshaw added that while some of those who had died from COVID-19 had been immunized and had other comorbidities, the majority of deaths were of unvaccinated individuals.
VACCINE BEST TOOL AGAINST DELTA VARIANT: HINSHAW
“Vaccines remain one of our most powerful tools in the fight against COVID-19,” she said.
The top doctor in the province highlighted key metrics to show the efficacy of vaccines against preventing serious health outcomes.
Albertans who are not fully vaccinated are about 15 times more likely than those with full vaccine protection to end up in hospital from COVID-19, Hinshaw said.
According to Alberta Health data, those who have not received any vaccine are 40 times more likely than those with vaccination protection to be admitted to the ICU.
“About 77 per cent of Albertans in hospital with COVID are not fully vaccinated,” Hinshaw said. “And 92 per cent of those in the ICU right now have not had both shots.
“We have heard persistent questions and rumours on social media that vaccines are not working against the Delta variant. But this is categorically untrue,” Hinshaw added.
In Alberta, COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be 85 per cent effective after two doses against Delta variant infection, Hinshaw said.
“The bottom line is that two doses of vaccine will protect most people from getting sick, having to go to the hospital, or dying,” she added.
Alberta has administered more than 5.89 million vaccine doses as of Wednesday.
'NOTHING IS REALLY STANDARD ABOUT THE SITUATION RIGHT NOW': YIU
Dr. Verna Yiu, Alberta Health Services president and CEO, said there is an unprecedented patient demand on the province’s health system.
She said as of Thursday afternoon, there are 310 total patients in ICU – including 226 seeking treatment for COVID-19.
“We have never ever had that number of total patients in ICU before,” Yiu said. “Never with the prior waves and never in the history of this province. And each day we see a new high.”
Yiu added that the five-day average for patients admitted for treatment in ICUs has been more than 23 per day.
“It’s tragic that we are only able to keep pace with these sort of numbers because in part some of our ICU patients have passed away,” she said. “This reality has a deep and lasting impact on our ICU teams.
“We are facing a fragile balance. On some days we are seeing more ICU patients than admitted than new ICU beds being created. We are transferring more patients out of zones to zones where there are additional critical care capacity.”
- Families waiting for life-changing procedures at Stollery left in limbo after surgery cancellations
- More scheduled surgeries in Edmonton Zone postponed to accommodate growing COVID-19 patients
- Man needing brain surgery among hundreds left waiting as COVID-19 ICU patients increase
As of noon Thursday, Yiu said Alberta had 350 ICU spaces. The province is using 89 per cent of those spaces. According to Yiu, AHS has more than doubled the baseline ICU space normally available in Alberta.
“Without those additional beds, our capacity would be at 179 per cent,” Yiu said. “Creating capacity is not a simple task and the beds we have added are not standard ICU beds.
“In fact, nothing is really standard about the situation right now, including staff ratios and some of the patient care we are providing outside of our ICUs. But this is the reality of our current situation. We have to do things differently to ensure we can care for all patients.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
NEW Life got in the way of one woman's reunion with her father, but a DNA test gained her a family
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Quebec farmers have been protesting since December. Is anyone listening?
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.
'Catch-and-kill' strategy to be a focus as testimony resumes in Trump hush money case
A veteran tabloid publisher was expected to return to the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial.
Quebec Health Department reports 28 cases of eye damage linked to solar eclipse
Quebec's Health Department says it has received 28 reports of eye damage related to the April 8 total solar eclipse that passed over southern parts of the province.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.