Fort McMurray’s active total of COVID-19 cases is seeing a small drop.
The province announced on Monday 1,495 new cases in the province over the past 24 hours.
There are currently 20,610 active cases across Alberta, while there have been a total of 183,301 positive tests. There are also 616 Albertans in the hospital for the virus, 145 of which are in ICUs.
Locally, Fort McMurray added 49 new cases and 66 recoveries in the past 24 hours which lowers the active total to 1,064.
The rural areas added one new case, raising the total of active cases to 22.
Wood Buffalo National Park remains at zero active cases.
The region remains the worst in the province when it comes to spread of the virus.
The RMWB is averaging nearly 1,300 cases per 100,000 individuals.
The closest is Banff which is averaging nearly 80 fewer cases per 100,000 people.
In total, 2,645 individuals across the RMWB – 2,487 in Fort McMurray, 148 in the rural areas, and 10 in Wood Buffalo National Park – have recovered.
They are among the 160,617 who’ve recovered across the province. This represents over 87 per cent of reported cases.
There were also seven new deaths from COVID-19 in Alberta over the past 24 hours – raising the total at 2,074.
To date, four individuals in Fort McMurray have died as a result of the virus.
Hospital Update
There are currently 22 individuals being treated for COVID-19 at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre.
According to Alberta Health Services, the hospital has expanded its ICU bed count from seven to nine with all of them currently being used.
There are currently 10 positive patients on the COVID unit, while there are a further 12 patients being cared for at the centre.
Starting Monday, around 40 elective surgeries have been postponed.
Ambulatory care services will also be limited, while minor surgical procedures in ambulatory care are being cancelled.
AHS says these changes will allow NLRHC to expand inpatient beds if necessary and create more capacity for individuals with COVID-19 who need medical support.
Province On Region’s Situation
Premier Jason Kenney says the province is in talks with the municipality to help fight the rise in cases across the region.
At this time, they haven’t announced any measures but are planning to listen to recommendations from the RMWB.
Wood Buffalo council did pass a motion on Sunday to request more vaccines with Kenney noting this is a possibility.
He also believes this isn’t a supply problem but maybe a hesitancy problem as the RMWB is currently under the province’s average for those who’ve received their first dose.
Over 13 per cent of Fort McMurray’s population and around 17 per cent of people in rural hamlets and First Nations have gotten their first shot. This is compared to the province’s average of 25 per cent.
Kenney did add they aren’t expanding the eligibility for the vaccine in the region at this time, a request he states came from Mayor Don Scott.
Health Minister Tyler Shandro and Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, are planning to meet with the municipality on Tuesday.