(Province of Alberta)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Medicine Hat sees 24 new cases of COVID-19 as province reports largest single-day increase

May 1, 2021 | 4:13 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB– There are 24 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Medicine Hat on Saturday, the province announced. Yesterday the city had 184 active cases and 695 recoveries. Today’s case count brings the total number of active cases in the city to 205, and recoveries to 698.

The city’s director of emergency management told CHAT News on Friday, that the city’s threshold for additional restrictions is 250 active cases.

On Thursday, the province announced targeted measures for COVID-19 hotspots such as Calgary, Lethbridge, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, and the County of Strathcona. Restrictions are in place for communities where there are at least 350 cases per 100,000 people and 250 active cases. The province said the restrictions are in place for a minimum of two weeks or until the region falls below the case threshold, whichever is longer.

Province-wide, the province confirmed 2, 433 new cases of the virus on Saturday including 1,743 variants of concern.

There are now 22,504 active cases throughout Alberta.

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A total 646 people are in hospital with 152 in ICU.

The province also confirmed one additional death

The provincial positivity rate is 12 per cent.

In Cypress County, there are 42 active cases, 187 recoveries, and no deaths.

The County of Newell confirmed seven active cases 171 recoveries and two deaths.

The City of Brooks has 40 active cases, 1,356 recoveries, and 14 deaths.

The MD of Taber has 40 active cases, 453 recoveries. and five deaths

Lethbridge County has 151 active cases 837 recoveries and 11 recorded deaths.

The City of Lethbridge has 429 active cases, 3779 recoveries, and 36 deaths.

Earlier on Saturday, the province’s chief medical officer of health announced changes to how youth with eligible underlying conditions can book appointments for vaccines under Phase 2B .

Hinshaw announced that a doctor’s note will no longer be required for eligible youth aged 12-15. She said parents can make the decision to have their child vaccinated if they are eligible, and they are able to speak to a family doctor if they have questions.

The decision to make the change, according to Hinshaw is based on feedback from parents, family doctors, and pediatricians.

A previous version of the story said there are 21 new cases. That has been corrected.