Nearly all COVID cases in Alberta this year were in unvaccinated people: Dr. Hinshaw

Since yesterday’s update, five Albertans died from COVID with four in Edmonton Zone and one in the Calgary Zone. To date, 2,236 Albertans have died as a result of the virus.

Provincially, 411 patients are currently hospitalized including 120 who have been admitted to intensive care.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw shared a few statistics proving why COVID-19 vaccines are important.

Since January 1, 2021, in Alberta:

96% of COVID-19 cases were for people who were not vaccinated or occurred within two weeks of getting their first dose
93% of COVID-19 hospitalizations were for people who were not vaccinated or occurred within two weeks of getting their first dose
88% of COVID-19 deaths were for people who were not vaccinated or occurred within two weeks of getting their first dose

With more than 2.88 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in Alberta as of the end of June 2, just 0.02% of vaccinations resulted in any form of adverse events. The majority of adverse events were because of allergies.

With another 6,808 tests conducted over the past day, there has now been a total of 4,546,523 tests completed on 2,147,141 different people.

AHS reported 305 cases of COVID-19 variants. While this number is larger than today’s total COVID-19 caseload Dr. Hinshaw explains that is due to several older cases in the backlog being processed today.

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 in Alberta:

Calgary Zone – 92,826 cases, 2,379 active
- 155 in hospital, 44 in ICU
- 679 deaths (one new)
Edmonton Zone – 77,003 cases, 1,522 active
- 139 in hospital, 47 in ICU
- 1,089 deaths (four new)
North Zone – 25,879 cases, 816 active
- 40 in hospital, 11 in ICU
- 181 deaths
Central Zone – 20,335 cases, 745 active
- 47 in hospital, 11 in ICU
- 157 deaths
South Zone – 12,352 cases, 367 active
- 30 in hospital, seven in ICU
- 130 deaths

Below is a breakdown of cases in the South Health Zone:

Lethbridge – 4,816 cases (five new), 107 active, 38 deaths
- West Lethbridge – 1,765 cases (two new), 52 active, three deaths
- North Lethbridge – 1,605 cases, 21 active, 11 deaths
- South Lethbridge – 1,445 cases (three new), 34 active, 24 deaths
Brooks – 1,493 cases (two new), 26 active, 15 deaths
Lethbridge County – 1,248 cases (five new), 35 active, 12 deaths
Medicine Hat – 1,232 cases (one new), 65 active, 22 deaths
Cardston County – 1,026 cases, 17 active, 17 deaths
M.D. of Taber – 570 cases, eight active, six deaths
County of Warner – 464 cases (one new), 30 active, three deaths
M.D. of Pincher Creek – 305 cases, five active, five deaths
Fort Macleod – 319 cases, 11 active, six deaths
Cypress County – 295 cases, 23 active, zero deaths
County of Newell – 235 cases (one new), 22 active, two deaths
County of Forty Mile – 156 cases, one active, three deaths
Crowsnest Pass – 82 cases, six active, one death
Waterton – Four cases, three active, zero deaths

by David Opinko

Nearly all COVID cases in Alberta this year were in unvaccinated people: Dr. Hinshaw

What's Happening