South Zone sees 29 new COVID cases this weekend, one death in M.D. of Pincher Creek

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw says the numbers in Edmonton are particularly concerning.

“We have seen an escalation of cases in Edmonton, an increase in the reproductive number to 1.3 last week, and a rise in active cases to 894. We are taking this seriously and looking into what causes are driving this increase we are seeing.”

The province is looking into whether additional restrictions might need to be implemented in places like the Edmonton Health Zone.

Dr. Hinshaw says the outbreak at Calgary’s Foothills Hospital contributed greatly to this weekend’s numbers as well. As of Monday morning, AHS reports that 42 patients and 33 healthcare workers have contracted COVID-19 at that facility and eight people have died.

The new caseload includes another 29 infections in the South Health Zone with 18 of those in Lethbridge County. For an area like Lethbridge County, Alberta Health does not specify the exact communities where patients are from.

There were also eight cases confirmed in the City of Lethbridge and one each in Cardston County, Medicine Hat, and the County of Newell.

“One alarming trend we have seen in our review of current active cases is 11 per cent of cases are attending work or still going to social gatherings when symptomatic while awaiting test results. This is a significant risk and one of the factors that is causing our case numbers to rise.”

One patient in the M.D. of Pincher Creek died as a result of the virus while another six succumbed to COVID-19 in the Edmonton Zone.

So far during the pandemic, 280 Albertans have died.

Provincially, 62 patients are currently hospitalized and 14 have been admitted to intensive care units.

1,424,946 tests have been completed among 1,067,184 different people.

The regional breakdown for COVID-19 in Alberta is as follows:

Calgary zone – 9,145 cases, 624 active
- 129 deaths (one new)
- 32 in hospital, seven in ICU
Edmonton zone – 5,728 cases, 982 active
- 83 deaths (six deaths)
- 23 in hospital, six in ICU
South zone – 1,859 cases, 47 active
- 26 deaths (one new)
- Two in hospital, one in ICU
North zone – 1,478 cases, 105 active
- 35 deaths
- Four in hospital
Central zone – 684 cases, 22 active
- Seven deaths
- One in hospital

The breakdown for the South Health Zone by community is as follows:

Brooks – 1,132 cases, three active, nine deaths
Lethbridge – 183 cases (eight new), 12 active, two deaths
- West Lethbridge – 76 cases (two new), five active, one death
- South Lethbridge – 63 cases (three new), three active
- North Lethbridge – 44 cases (three new), four active, one death
Cardston County – 106 cases (one new), two active, five deaths
Medicine Hat – 83 cases (one new), two active, two deaths
Lethbridge County – 66 cases (18 new), 17 active
County of Warner – 63 cases, one active, one death
M.D. of Taber – 44 cases, two active
County of Forty Mile – 40 cases, five active
Cypress County – 33 cases, two active
Fort Macleod – 33 cases, zero active, three deaths
County of Newell – 33 cases (one new), one active, two deaths
M.D. of Pincher Creek – 27 cases, zero active, two deaths (one new)
Crowsnest Pass – Two cases, zero active

by David Opinko

South Zone sees 29 new COVID cases this weekend, one death in M.D. of Pincher Creek

What's Happening