In the province today, 1,155 new cases were identified from over 17,000 tests, meaning we have a 6% positivity rate. 

There are 10,655 active cases in Alberta and 32,835 total recoveries.

Eleven new deaths were reported today, for a total of 443 since the start of the pandemic. One of these deaths was in Grande Prairie, the fourth reported in the City and second this week. This was a man in his 70s, connected to the outbreak at the Grande Prairie Care Centre.

In Grande Prairie, eleven new cases were added, and ten people recovered. This brings the active total to 84 and recoveries to 342. Two new cases were confirmed in the County of Grande Prairie and one person recovered. There are now 38 active cases and 115 recoveries. 

Provincially, 310 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, with 58 in intensive care. This means there are 26 new hospitalizations being reported, though ICU admissions are down by three. In the North, hospitalizations went up two to 15, with one person in intensive care, the same as yesterday. 

In other areas of the Peace Region, one person recovered in Clear Hills County, and three in the MD of Fairview. Big Lakes County had one new case and Mackenzie County had two. MD of Greenview added two cases and one recovery. MD of Peace had one new case and four recoveries. 

Peace Region totals: 

In her update today, Dr. Hinshaw said that she is concerned about the rise in COVID-related deaths and reminded Albertans that it is not just limited to those already at the end of their lives.  

She says that this week, two people in their 30s died. They had pre-existing conditions, but they were not in themselves life-threatening.  

Dr. Hinshaw says the average age of those being hospitalized is dropping and about one in four people who need hospital care for COVID-19 and one out of every six in ICU with COVID-19 have no pre-existing medical conditions. 

She reminds Albertans that having a chronic medical condition, like high blood pressure or diabetes, is common. In Alberta, almost one quarter of all adults over the age of 20, or almost 800,000 people, have a chronic condition. Ten percent have two conditions, and 8% have three or more. Older adults are more likely to have a condition – 65% of adults over 50 have one or more. 

“Most Albertans will have a family member or friend with these conditions. We must remember that our actions protect these people as well as ourselves.” 

Watch the full update here:

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