COVID variants now make up 19% of all active cases in Alberta

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw says, with another 202 variant cases over the past day, they now account for approximately 19 per cent of all active infections in the province.

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

She has received many questions lately about why Alberta has seen more and more COVID cases lately but says there is not just one reason.

“The growth we’re seeing is the result of the little moments in many different settings, when we come in close contact with other people and give the virus opportunities to transmit. This has always been one of the biggest challenges with COVID-19 and variants make it even more difficult.”

Since yesterday’s update, two Albertans died from COVID including one each in the Calgary and Central Zones. 1,973 Albertans have lost their lives as a result of the virus.

Provincially, 285 patients are currently hospitalized including 53 who have been admitted to intensive care.

512,248 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Alberta as of the end of March 23.

AHS is opening up immunization bookings to more Albertans starting at 8:00 am on Thursday, March 25. This includes:

All Albertans born in 1956 or earlier
First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people born in 1971 or earlier

Appointments for COVID-19 vaccines can be booked using the online tool or by phoning Health Link at 811.

With another 12,835 tests completed over the past day, there has now been a total of 3,625,233 tests conducted on 1,881,873 different people.

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 regional health zone:

Edmonton Zone – 56,032 cases, 1,455 active
- 83 in hospital, 13 in ICU
- 1,003 deaths
Calgary Zone – 55,224 cases, 2,910 active
- 101 in hospital, 21 in ICU
- 601 deaths (one new)
North Zone – 13,390 cases, 788 active
- 25 in hospital, five in ICU
- 143 deaths
Central Zone – 11,119 cases, 581 active
- 34 in hospital, six in ICU
- 122 deaths (one new)
South Zone – 7,653 cases, 784 active
- 42 in hospital, eight in ICU
- 104 deaths

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

Lethbridge – 2,904 cases (15 new), 508 active, 29 deaths
- North Lethbridge – 1,024 cases (11 new), 212 active, six deaths
- West Lethbridge – 942 cases (seven new), 149 active, three deaths
- South Lethbridge – 938 cases (decreased by three), 148 active, 20 deaths
Brooks – 1,366 cases, two active, 14 deaths
Cardston County – 750 cases (13 new), 94 active, 13 deaths
Lethbridge County – 632 cases (11 new), 79 active, eight deaths
Medicine Hat – 571 cases, eight active, 17 deaths
M.D. of Taber – 364 cases (five new), 22 active, six deaths
M.D. of Pincher Creek – 244 cases, 26 active, five deaths
County of Warner – 178 cases, 14 active, three deaths
County of Newell – 162 cases (two new), two active, two deaths
Cypress County – 147 cases (one new), one active, zero deaths
County of Forty Mile – 124 cases (one new), five active, three deaths
Fort Macleod – 120 cases (one new), 16 active, four deaths
Crowsnest Pass – 28 cases, four active, zero deaths

by David Opinko

COVID variants now make up 19% of all active cases in Alberta

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