The hospital treats 990 people, of which 44 in ICUs, compared to 964 to 47 ICU patients last week. Thirty other Albertans have died from COVID-19, bringing the total death toll in the province to 4,104. Last week, 5,549 cases of COVID were reported, but these are just some of the cases detected in PCR tests that most Albertans do not have access to. In last week’s briefing on COVID-19, Health Secretary Jason Kopping warned that transmission rates appeared to be rising. Sewage data has been on the rise in communities across the county, including Edmonton and Calgary. Koping hesitated to say whether the province was heading for a sixth wave, but said the new coronavirus was finding more opportunities to spread. Laboratory tests have found that about 80 percent of positive cases in Alberta are subtype Omicron BA.2, making it the predominant coronavirus strain in the province.
Province that extends the suitability of the 4th installment
Alberta is expanding its suitability for a second booster dose, starting April 12th. First Nations, Métis and Inuit people over the age of 65, Albertans aged 70 and over, and all seniors in centralized care regardless of age can receive a fourth dose of the vaccine. According to a government press release, it is in line with a recent recommendation of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. The province also brings another type of vaccine: 10,000 doses of Novavax’s Nuvaxovid. “Nuvaxovid is a two-dose protein subunit vaccine that does not use mRNA technology and is approved for people 18 years of age and older,” the statement said. You can only make an appointment for this vaccine by calling 811 due to limited supply.
