COVID-19. (Alberta Health Services)

By David Opinko

Record 1,440 new COVID cases in Alberta this weekend

Oct 26, 2020 | 3:45 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Alberta Health Services has released Monday’s report on COVID-19, detailing the numbers over the past three days.

1,440 cases were confirmed with 364 positive tests on Friday, 572 on Saturday, and 504 on Sunday. Prior to the weekend, the record for daily COVID cases in Alberta was 432, which was set last week.

To date, 25,733 people have contracted the virus in Alberta. Of those, 4,477 cases are active while 20,949 people have recovered.

736 of those were in the Edmonton Zone and 474 in the Calgary Zone.

To combat the surge in cases in the province’s two largest cities, a new mandatory 15-person limit is in effect on all social gatherings in the City of Calgary and City of Edmonton.

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The South Health Zone saw another 73 cases this weekend with 37 in Lethbridge, 10 in Lethbridge County, nine in Brooks, five in the County of Warner, three in the County of Newell, two in the M.D. of Taber, and one each in Cardston County, County of Forty Mile, Cypress County, and the Crowsnest Pass.

255 infections are currently active in the South Health Zone including 161 in Lethbridge.

“We have now crossed a tipping point and are losing the balance we are seeking,” warned Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw.

To deal with the influx of cases in the Edmonton Zone, up to 30 per cent of non-urgent surgeries in the area are being postponed until further notice.

Seven additional COVID-19 deaths were confirmed with four in the Edmonton Zone and three in the Calgary Zone. 307 Albertans have lost their lives as a result of the virus.

“I don’t ask that you fear COVID-19 but that you respect it. COVID is a novel disease that is not just the flu. It has the ability to overwhelm our health system and weaken essential services if we let it do so. Respecting COVID-19 means taking public health advice seriously and taking care, not only of ourselves but also our communities by preventing transmission.”

Provincially, 118 patients are currently hospitalized and 16 have been admitted to intensive care units.

1,744,042 tests have been completed among 1,245,294 different Albertans.

More details to come.

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

• Calgary zone – 11,345 cases, 1,549 active
  • 139 deaths (three new)
  • 42 in hospital, three in ICU
• Edmonton zone – 9,210 cases, 2,179 active
  • 98 deaths (four new)
  • 62 in hospital, eight in ICU
• South zone – 2,268 cases, 255 active
  • 27 deaths
  • Seven in hospital, three in ICU
• North zone – 1,891 cases, 311 active
  • 35 deaths
  • Four in hospital, two in ICU
• Central zone – 953 cases, 162 active
  • Eight deaths
  • Three in hospital

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

• Brooks – 1,162 cases (nine new), 30 active, nine deaths
• Lethbridge – 452 cases (37 new), 161 active, two deaths
  • West Lethbridge – 166 cases (11 new), 50 active, one death
  • South Lethbridge – 148 cases (11 new), 50 active
  • North Lethbridge – 138 cases (16 new), 61 active, one death
• Lethbridge County – 129 cases (10 new), 23 active, one death
• Cardston County – 108 cases (one new), four active, five deaths
• Medicine Hat – 90 cases (one new), six active, two deaths
• County of Warner – 71 cases (five new), six active, one death
• M.D. of Taber – 50 cases (two new), six active
• County of Forty Mile – 45 cases (one new), three active
• County of Newell – 42 cases (three new), seven active, two deaths
• Cypress County – 38 cases (one new), five active
• Fort Macleod – 33 cases, zero active, three deaths
• M.D. of Pincher Creek – 27 cases, zero active, two deaths
• Crowsnest Pass – Three cases (one new), one active