The active total of COVID-19 cases in Fort McMurray is slightly rising.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, announced on Wednesday 1,301 new cases across the province.

This raises the provincial total to 93,781 with 17,821 currently active. There are also 821 Albertans in the hospital for the virus, 146 of which are in ICUs.

Locally, Fort McMurray added 19 new cases and 18 additional recoveries which raises the active total to 205.

The rural areas saw one new case and one recovery which keeps the total of active cases at seven.

In total, 1,076 individuals across the RMWB – 966 in Fort McMurray and 110 in the rural areas – have recovered.

They are among the 75,070 who’ve recovered across the province. This represents over 80 per cent of reported cases.

There were also 19 new deaths from COVID-19 in Alberta over the past day – raising the total to 890.

To date, two individuals in Fort McMurray have died as a result of the virus.

School Update

The Fort McMurray Catholic School District says two individuals with ties to Elsie Yanik and St. Kateri have tested positive.

Both schools have already reached out to families.

Alberta Health Services will be in contact with those who need to self-isolate with next steps.

Contact tracing notifications may be slightly delayed due to the high volume of cases throughout the province.

COVID-19 Vaccine

A second COVID-19 vaccine is being approved by Health Canada.

The Moderna vaccine will soon be distributed across the country following Pfizer’s vaccine which has already been given to thousand of Albertans.

Hinshaw says they don’t know at this time when the province will get the first shipment of the new vaccine.

It will be available for those who are 18 and older.