Active COVID-19 cases in Medicine Hat continues to drop, now at 35

There are four new cases in the city in Wednesday’s update and also five recoveries.

Across the province, there are 12,838 active cases, down 382 from Tuesday, and 99,412 recovered cases, up 1,234.

Alberta’s total number of COVID-19 cases from the start of the pandemic is 113,618.

There are 875 new cases in the province today.

There are now 820 Albertans in hospital with COVID-19, 137 of which are in ICU, and 1,368 deaths.

The province completed 15,880 tests in the past 24 hours.

The provincial positivity rate is 5.3 per cent.

As of Jan. 12, 58,144 doses of vaccine have been administered in Alberta.

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health said she knows that people may be starting to tune messages out as the pandemic enters the 10th month.

“For example, for months now I’ve been saying that we’re all in this together, and I know that for many this phrase is wearing thin,” said Dr. Deena Hinshaw. “For many people, this time we are in now is the most challenging moment in the pandemic so far.”

She said few have lived through a time of adversity like now, but the phrase she has often said is not a slogan.

“It is an irrefutable, biological fact of COVID-19 that we cannot escape or choose to opt-of,” she said.

“COVID-19 shows us that a grocery store clerk is connected not only to the shopper but also to the shopper’s kids, their co-workers and friends. It shines a light on the link between a long-term care resident and the worker who cares for them as well as the worker’s spouse, the co-workers of those spouses and those co-workers friends.”

Hinshaw said cases rise because we are infecting each other and fall when we are protecting each other.

“Business owners who choose to reopen despite our current restrictions are increasing the number of close contacts that happen in their community, possibly making it harder for other business owners if that means restrictions need to stay in place longer.”

She said those who prepare for a safe reopening and adhering to the measures currently in place are helping their communities and protecting the health-care system and helping lower the community transmission levels to a place where restrictions can be lifted.

“Twice now we have reduced the rising spread by working together and bringing our contact numbers down. This is the only tool we have to control the spread of the virus until enough vaccine is available to protect the majority of our population. Until then, limiting in-person interaction is the best way to protect our health system and save lives.

Hinshaw said it’s likely in the coming weeks the province will run out of vaccine doses and then will have to wait for more doses to arrive.

During the update, the province revealed that satellite vaccine clinics have been opened across Alberta.

Nine satellite clinics have already taken place, with more than 425 emergency department staff vaccinated. As more vaccine becomes available, additional clinics will be opened for eligible staff.

Alberta Health Services and Covenant Health are piloting the use of temporary clinics to increase opportunities for eligible emergency department staff and physicians to get vaccinated.

Hinshaw’s next in-person update will be on Thursday.

Medicine Hat and the entire province remains in enhanced status, in which risk levels require enhanced public health measures to control the spread and are informed by local context.

Medicine Hat remains on the provincial “Watch” list, though is only two cases above the threshold.

Regions are placed on the province’s “Watch” list when they have a rate of more than 50 active cases per 100,000 population. Medicine Hat’s 35 active cases among 68,057 people puts it at a rate of 51.4.

Brooks (67.4 rate), The County of Newell (86.5), Lethbridge (119.2) Lethbridge County (146.7) are also on the list.

Cypress County, the County of Forty Mile and MD of Taber are no longer on the “Watch” list.

Case numbers for the South Zone were not immediately updated on the provincial reporting site.

An AHS spokesperson told CHAT News on Monday there were 20 COVID-19 positive individuals in hospital in the South Zone. There were nine at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, with three of those in the ICU. Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge also had nine inpatients, with three of those in the ICU. The Brooks Health Centre and Pincher Creek Health Centre had one inpatient each.

School outbreaks will begin to be reported again this week following the return to in-person classes on Monday.

The website Support Our Students is tracking instances of cases in schools across the province.

Cypress County has totaled 144 cases – four active cases and the rest recovered.

The County of Forty Mile has 116 total cases. There are three active cases, 111 recovered and there have been two deaths.

The MD of Taber has 320 total cases — eight active cases, 306 recovered and there have been six deaths.

Special Areas No. 2 has 40 total cases – five active, 34 recovered and there has been one death.

Brooks has 1,357 total cases — 13 active and 1,330 are recovered. Brooks has recorded 14 deaths.

The County of Newell has a total of 146 cases — seven active cases, 137 recovered and there have been two deaths.

The County of Warner has 151 total cases. There are eight active cases, 141 are recovered cases and there have been two deaths in the county.

The City of Lethbridge has a total of 1,529 cases. There are 118 active cases, 1,401 recovered and there have been 10 deaths. Lethbridge County has 466 cases, 37 active cases, 422 recovered and there have been seven deaths.

The figures on alberta.ca are “up-to-date as of end of day Jan. 12, 2021.”

Read the full Jan. 13 update from the province here.

Saskatchewan confirmed 247 new cases of COVID-19 in the Wednesday update.

Saskatchewan has a total of 19,017 cases, 3,748 considered active. There are 15,063 recovered cases and there have been 206 COVID-19 deaths in the province.

Saskatchewan has delivered 10,400 doses of vaccine.

by Chris Brown

Active COVID-19 cases in Medicine Hat continues to drop, now at 35

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