Even with surge spaces, ICU beds nearing capacity in Alberta, mostly with COVID patients

Since yesterday’s update, 17 Albertans died from COVID including six in the Edmonton Zone, four in the North Zone, three each in the Calgary and Central Zones, and one in the South Zone. To date, 2,611 Albertans have died as a result of the virus.

The death in the South Zone was for a person from the M.D. of Taber.

Provincially, 1,058 patients are currently hospitalized including 226 who have been admitted to ICU.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw says 100% of new ICU admissions were among those were are unvaccinated. 77 per cent of those in hospital have not received any COVID shots.

She assures that, while the Delta variant has been a challenge, the current COVID-19 vaccines are still 85% effective against it. She is urging all eligible Albertans to get their shots.

“Albertans who have not been fully vaccinated are about 15 times more likely than those with vaccine protection to end up in the hospital with COVID-19. They are about 40 times more likely to be admitted to the ICU.”

AHS President and CEO Dr. Verna Yiu provided an update on hospital capacity in the province.

“As of early afternoon, there are 310 Albertans in ICU, of which, 226 patients have COVID-19. We have never ever had that number of total patients in ICU before, never with the prior waves and never in the history of this province.”

With 350 ICU total ICU beds across the province, Dr. Yiu says they are at 89 per cent capacity. That is after the additions of 177 ICU surge spaces. Without that, capacity would be at 179 per cent.

Below are graphs showing how COVID-19 in Alberta has 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)

COVID-19 outcomes by vaccination status. (Alberta Health Services)

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

Calgary Zone – 110,600 cases, 5,224 active
- 282 in hospital, 62 in ICU
- 767 deaths (three new)
Edmonton Zone – 92,919 cases, 5,549 active
- 339 in hospital, 102 in ICU
- 1,168 deaths (six new)
North Zone – 36,195 cases, 3,620 active
- 135 in hospital, 12 in ICU
- 254 deaths (four new)
Central Zone – 28,556 cases, 3,591 active
- 189 in hospital, 22 in ICU
- 234 deaths (three new)
South Zone – 18,387 cases, 2,178 active
- 113 in hospital, 28 in ICU
- 188 deaths (one new)

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

Lethbridge – 5,881 cases (42 new), 464 active, 45 deaths
- West Lethbridge – 2,167 cases (17 new), 136 active, five deaths
- North Lethbridge – 1,926 cases (12 new), 160 active, 13 deaths
- South Lethbridge – 1,780 cases (13 new), 153 active, 27 deaths
Medicine Hat – 3,562 cases (45 new), 665 active, 48 deaths
Brooks – 1,851 cases (20 new), 140 active, 17 deaths
Lethbridge County – 1,567 cases (24 new), 142 active, 14 deaths
Cardston County – 1,420 cases (10 new), 125 active, 23 deaths
M.D. of Taber – 950 cases (18 new), 180 active, 10 deaths (one new)
Cypress County – 708 cases (11 new), 124 active, two deaths
County of Warner – 588 cases (five new), 75 active, three deaths
M.D. of Pincher Creek – 508 cases (11 new), 63 active, eight deaths
Fort Macleod – 430 cases (six new), 52 active, six deaths
County of Newell – 360 cases (six new), 48 active, four deaths
County of Forty Mile – 228 cases (13 new), 47 active, three deaths
Crowsnest Pass – 121 cases (one new), 15 active, one death
Waterton – Seven cases, zero active, zero deaths

by David Opinko

Even with surge spaces, ICU beds nearing capacity in Alberta, mostly with COVID patients

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