COVID-19. (Dreamstime)

By David Opinko

Medicine Hat continues to drive new South Zone COVID cases, 550 provincially

Aug 12, 2021 | 3:47 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Alberta Health Services has released Thursday’s report on COVID-19, covering statistics compiled over the last 24 hours.

550 cases were confirmed across the province, bringing the total to 238,357. Of those, 4,101 cases are active while 231,925 people have recovered.

In the South Zone, 65 people tested positive with 45 of those coming from Medicine Hat.

Active infections in that city rose by 39 since yesterday’s update, and across the region by the same amount.

AHS expressed concern earlier Thursday about the rising community spread within Medicine Hat and the nearby Cypress County as active cases in Medicine went up from 24 on Sunday to 361 just four days later.

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READ MORE: AHS concerned about community spread of COVID-19 in Medicine Hat and area

No new COVID deaths were reported anywhere in the province today, meaning the total in Alberta is still 2,331 to date.

Provincially, 146 patients are currently hospitalized including 36 who have been admitted to intensive care. This means there are now an additional eight people in hospital including five in ICU across the province since Wednesday’s report.

NOTE: Starting this coming Monday, August 16, the Alberta Government will be lifting COVID-19 testing requirements for those with symptoms and their close contacts, and self-isolation will be “strongly recommended.” This will likely result in a dramatic drop in the number of cases being reported, but will not necessarily be indicative of how many people are getting sick.

READ MORE: Changes to COVID isolation policy follow Dr. Hinshaw’s recommendations: Kenney

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.

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

COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions. (Alberta Health Services)

Below is a breakdown of cases per health zone in Alberta:

• Calgary Zone – 97,465 cases, 1,698 active
  • 58 in hospital, 15 in ICU
  • 708 deaths
• Edmonton Zone – 79,073 cases, 955 active
  • 42 in hospital, 13 in ICU
  • 1,110 deaths
• North Zone – 27,285 cases, 566 active
  • 11 in hospital, zero in ICU
  • 204 deaths
• Central Zone – 21,264 cases, 292 active
  • 18 in hospital, five in ICU
  • 171 deaths
• South Zone – 13,254 cases, 566 active
  • 17 in hospital, three in ICU
  • 138 deaths

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

• Lethbridge – 4,951 cases (four new), 86 active, 40 deaths
  • West Lethbridge – 1,819 cases (one new), 26 active, four deaths
  • North Lethbridge – 1,644 cases (four new), 29 active, 11 deaths
  • South Lethbridge – 1,487 cases (one subtracted from total), 31 active, 25 deaths
• Medicine Hat – 1,686 cases (45 new), 361 active, 22 deaths
• Brooks – 1,542 cases, 11 active, 15 deaths
• Lethbridge County – 1,279 cases (two new), 10 active, 14 deaths
• Cardston County – 1,041 cases, eight active, 19 deaths
• M.D. of Taber – 580 cases (two new), five active, six deaths
• County of Warner – 471 cases, two active, three deaths
• Cypress County – 376 cases (eight new), 63 active, one death
• M.D. of Pincher Creek – 351 cases (two new), 11 active, five deaths
• Fort Macleod – 323 cases, five active, six deaths
• County of Newell – 257 cases (one new), seven active, three deaths
• County of Forty Mile – 159 cases, two active, three deaths
• Crowsnest Pass – 88 cases, two active, one death
• Waterton – Six cases, two active, zero deaths