Medicine Hat down to 101 active COVID-19 cases, new daily case record set in Alberta

There are 1,854 new cases in the province today.

Alberta has had 63,023 total cases over the course of the pandemic.

There are now 511 Albertans in hospital with COVID-19, 97 of which are in ICU, and 575 deaths.

The province completed 19,622 tests in the past 24 hours.

The provincial positivity rate is about 9.5 per cent.

Even though the majority of the cases are in the Calgary and Edmonton zones, the virus is spreading in many rural communities, said Dr. Deena Hinshaw.

The chief medical officer of health had a warning for those areas of the province.

“It only takes one case entering a community to cause significant spread. That is why it is important we all follow the key public health measures wherever we live,” Hinshaw said.

“Coping with this virus is a challenge for everyone. But being further away from health care, especially from advanced services like ICUs, can also make the experience even more daunting for those living in rural areas. That’s why it’s important for all Albertans, rural and urban, to take COVID-19 and do everything possible to limit the spread.”

She called it “a provincial problem within the context of a global problem.”

Hinshaw once again said the numbers are “very concerning” and thanked the Albertans who are following the restrictions to the best of their ability.

She also thanked those who are asking Alberta Health questions when they are unsure.

“This is a great example of Albertans doing everything in their power to protect one another,” said Hinshaw. “Knowledge and information from accurate sources is an important part about this.”

Medicine Hat remains on the provincial “Watch” list and is in enhanced status. In enhanced status, risk levels require enhanced public health measures to control the spread and are informed by local context.

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 101 active cases among 68,057 people puts it at a rate of 148.4.

Cypress County with a rate of 98.1 on 11 active cases and the County of Forty Mile with a rate of 294.9 on 19 active cases are also on the list.

Brooks (171 rate), the County of Newell (259.5), Lethbridge (225.3) Lethbridge County (253.7) and the MD of Taber (434.7) are also on the list.

All those regions are also in enhanced status.

There are 4,029 cases in the South Zone. There are 633 active cases and 3,349 recovered. The death total in the zone is at 47.

According to AHS, AHS South Zone currently has 14 COVID-19 positive patients in hospital. Medicine Hat Regional Hospital has six patients with two of those in ICU. Chinook Regional Hospital has eight, with three of those in ICU.

On Thursday there are 218 schools in the province where outbreaks have been declared. Alberta Health’s threshold for declaring an outbreak in school is two cases being in a school while infectious within 14 days.

In the city, Medicine Hat High School and Prairie Mennonite Alternative School are listed as having outbreaks.

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

Cypress County has totaled 119 cases – 11 active cases and the rest recovered.

The County of Forty Mile has 113 total cases. There are 19 active cases, 93 recovered and there has been one death.

The MD of Taber has 263 total cases — 82 active cases, 177 recovered and there have been four deaths.

Special Areas No. 2 has 24 total cases – six active and the rest recovered.

Brooks has 1,288 total cases — 33 active and 1,241 are recovered. Brooks has recorded 14 deaths.

The County of Newell has a total of 114 cases — 21 active cases, 91 recovered and there have been two deaths.

The County of Warner has 124 total cases. There are 31 active cases, 91 are recovered cases and there have been two deaths in the county.

The City of Lethbridge has a total of 1,067 cases. There are 223 active cases, 837 recovered and there have been seven deaths. Lethbridge County has 341 cases, 64 active cases, 275 recovered and there have been two deaths.

The figures on alberta.ca are “up-to-date as of end of day Dec. 2, 2020.”

Read the full Dec. 3 update from the province here.

Saskatchewan confirmed 259 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, 37 in the South Zones.

Saskatchewan has a total of 9,244 cases, 4,017 considered active. There are 5,173 recovered cases and there have been 54 COVID-19 deaths in the province.

by Chris Brown

Medicine Hat down to 101 active COVID-19 cases, new daily case record set in Alberta

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