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COVID-19. (Alberta Health Services)

Alberta averaged 567 COVID cases over past four days, one death in South Lethbridge

Nov 3, 2020 | 3:47 PM

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

There was no COVID update on Monday due to a system update at AHS that was conducted over the weekend.

2,260 cases were confirmed during that time with 581 on Friday, 525 on Saturday, 592 on Sunday, and 570 on Monday. This works out to an average of 567 infections over the four-day period.

29,932 positive tests have been identified throughout the pandemic. Of those, 6,110 cases are active and 23,484 people have recovered.

The new caseload includes 129 in the South Zone with 58 in Lethbridge, 20 in Brooks, 18 in Lethbridge County, eight in Medicine Hat, seven in Cypress County, five each in the Counties of Newell and Forty Mile, four in the M.D. of Taber, three in Cardston County, and one in the County of Warner.

“As the case numbers reported over the past few weeks show, we are facing a concerning situation and we need to reduce the rate of transmission if we want to avoid more difficult choices in the future,” says Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw.

15 Albertans died from COVID-19 over the past four days with 10 in the Edmonton Zone, four in the Calgary Zone, and one in the South Zone.

An official with AHS says the South Zone death was for a man in his 80’s from South Lethbridge. It’s the second death linked to the outbreak at the Edith Cavell Care Centre.

To date, 338 people have died from COVID in the province.

Provincially, 167 patients are currently hospitalized and 27 have been admitted to intensive care units.

1,835,293 tests have been completed among 1,290,323 different Albertans.

Dr. Hinshaw says she has heard an increasing number of Albertans say that COVID-19 is no different than the regular flu.

While there are some similarities, she wanted to point out a couple of the key differences.

“First, there is no vaccine for COVID-19, unlike influenza. Second, this virus is more deadly than influenza, especially seasonal influenza.”

In the last four influenza seasons, the highest number of deaths in one year in Alberta is 92. In just eight months, there have been 338 deaths from COVID-19 “despite taking extraordinary measures to contain transmission.”

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

  • Calgary zone – 13,200 cases, 2,532 active
    • 148 deaths (four new)
    • 52 in hospital, eight in ICU
  • Edmonton zone – 10,861 cases, 2,581 active
    • 117 deaths (10 new)
    • 100 in hospital, 13 in ICU
  • South zone – 2,508 cases, 317 active
    • 30 deaths (one new)
    • Seven in hospital, four in ICU
  • North zone – 2,166 cases, 413 active
    • 35 deaths
    • Five in hospital, two in ICU
  • Central zone – 1,112 cases, 235 active
    • Eight deaths
    • Three in hospital

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

  • Brooks – 1,198 cases (20 new), 50 active, nine deaths
  • Lethbridge – 569 cases (58 new), 153 active, five deaths (one new)
    • West Lethbridge – 222 cases (25 new), 67 active, one death
    • South Lethbridge – 187 cases (21 new), 49 active, three deaths (one new)
    • North Lethbridge – 160 cases (12 new), 37 active, one death
  • Lethbridge County – 158 cases (18 new), 36 active, one death
  • Cardston County – 113 cases (three new), nine active, five deaths
  • Medicine Hat – 103 cases (eight new), 15 active, two deaths
  • County of Warner – 73 cases (one new), six active, one death
  • M.D. of Taber – 58 cases (four new), nine active
  • County of Forty Mile – 56 cases (five new), 13 active
  • County of Newell – 54 cases (five new), 14 active, two deaths
  • Cypress County – 45 cases (seven new), nine active
  • Fort Macleod – 34 cases, one active, three deaths
  • M.D. of Pincher Creek – 27 cases, zero active, two deaths
  • Crowsnest Pass – Three cases, one active