Alberta in the “last few miles in a race” with COVID-19 as numbers continue falling

Active cases in Lethbridge fell by 15 and is now below 200. Regionally, active cases decreased by 50.

“We have seen a steady decline in new cases across the province, which is helping bring our active case count down as well. In fact, active cases have declined 52 per cent from their peak earlier this month,” says Dr. Deena Hinshaw. “We are now seeing promising declines in hospitalization numbers, and although it has rebounded a little bit in the last few days, we have started to see our positivity rate decline as well.”

“They say that the last few miles in a race are the hardest and that is what we are facing right now. With cases declining and more vaccines being administered every day, we are rapidly approaching a point when we can safely begin to ease measures. It’s close and getting closer every day.”

Dr. Hinshaw did not provide an estimated time for when an announcement about eased restrictions might be made.

Today’s update was not all positive news, however, as nine Albertans died from COVID including three each in the Calgary and Edmonton Zones and one each in the South, Central, and North Zones. To date, 2,192 Albertans have died as a result of the virus.

The death in the South Zone was for a man in his 80’s from North Lethbridge.

Provincially, 565 patients are currently hospitalized including 158 who have been admitted to intensive care.

With another 3,998 tests conducted over the past day, there has now been a total of 4,486,483 tests completed on 2,132,370 different people.

2,552,317 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered as of the end of May 24.

Since yesterday’s report, 141 cases of COVID-19 variants were confirmed in Alberta.

COVID-19 variant cases in Alberta. (Alberta Health Services)

Below is a graph of how COVID-19 cases in Alberta have trended since the start of the pandemic, which can also be accessed with more detail here.

COVID-19 trends in Alberta. (Alberta Health Services)

Below is a breakdown of cases per health zone:

Calgary Zone – 91,449 cases, 5,133 active
- 221 in hospital, 62 in ICU
- 664 deaths (three new)
Edmonton Zone – 76,096 cases, 3,088 active
- 192 in hospital, 63 in ICU
- 1,072 deaths (three new)
North Zone – 25,420 cases, 1,877 active
- 61 in hospital, 13 in ICU
- 175 deaths (one new)
Central Zone – 19,859 cases, 1,289 active
- 53 in hospital, 13 in ICU
- 154 deaths (one new)
South Zone – 12,180 cases, 678 active
- 38 in hospital, seven in ICU
- 127 deaths (one new)

Below is a breakdown of cases in the South Zone:

Lethbridge – 4,751 cases (three new), 186 active, 38 deaths (one new)
- West Lethbridge – 1,735 cases (three new), 81 active, three deaths
- North Lethbridge – 1,595 cases, 47 active, 11 deaths (one new)
- South Lethbridge – 1,430 cases, 58 active, 24 deaths
Brooks – 1,484 cases (five new), 42 active, 15 deaths
Lethbridge County – 1,225 cases (four new), 78 active, 12 deaths
Medicine Hat – 1,202 cases (four new), 122 active, 20 deaths
Cardston County – 1,014 cases (three new), 44 active, 17 deaths
M.D. of Taber – 567 cases, 22 active, six deaths
County of Warner – 450 cases (one new), 39 active, three deaths
M.D. of Pincher Creek – 301 cases, 16 active, five deaths
Fort Macleod – 314 cases (one new), 20 active, five deaths
Cypress County – 283 cases (two new), 35 active, zero deaths
County of Newell – 225 cases (two new), 31 active, two deaths
County of Forty Mile – 155 cases, two active, three deaths
Crowsnest Pass – 81 cases, 17 active, one death
Waterton – Two cases, one active, zero deaths

by David Opinko

Alberta in the “last few miles in a race” with COVID-19 as numbers continue falling

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