COVID-19 is claiming the life of another individual in Fort McMurray.

The province announced on Wednesday five additional deaths from the virus across Alberta – one of which lived in the community.

According to Alberta Health, the individual was a man in his 60’s. He did suffer from an unknown amount of other comorbidities.

This is the twelfth death related to COVID-19 in Fort McMurray and the RMWB.

In total, there have been 2,256 deaths across the province.

Daily Update

Fort McMurray’s active total of COVID cases is continuing to drop.

The province also announced on Wednesday 313 new cases over the past 24-hours.

There are currently 4,204 active cases across Alberta, while there have been a total of 229,771 positive tests.

There are also 329 Albertans in the hospital for the virus, 83 of which are in ICUs.

Locally, Fort McMurray added 11 new cases and 33 recoveries in the past 24 hours which lowers the active total to 190.

The rural areas added no new cases and one recovery, putting the active total to 32.

In total, 6,703 individuals across the RMWB – 6,420 in Fort McMurray and 293 in the rural areas – have recovered.

They are among the 223,311 who’ve recovered across the province. This represents over 97 per cent of reported cases.

Stage Two Of Reopening Plan

The second phase of the province’s ‘open for summer’ timeline gets underway on Thursday.

Libraries, museums, movie theatres will be allowed to re-open, while capacity limits at these spaces and retail and places of worship will increase to one-third.

Restaurants, bars, and cafes can allow up to six people per table, indoor and outdoor. This can include people from different households.

Personal and wellness services can welcome walk-ins again.

Gym and fitness facilities can open for solo workouts and drop-in activities.

Youth and adult sports activities can return with no restrictions.

Outdoor gatherings, wedding ceremonies, and funeral services will be allowed up to 20 people.

Public outdoor events can have as many as 150 individuals in attendance, while seated outdoor seated areas can have up to one-third capacity.

Post-secondary schools can also resume in-person classes.

Vaccination Update

Over 60 per cent of eligible residents in Fort McMurray and around 41 per cent in the rural areas have gotten at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Right now, those born in 2009 or earlier can book an appointment at MacDonald Island Park or participating healthcare facilities.

Those who got their first shot in March or earlier can also set a time to receive their second.

This is the current breakdown for who’s gotten the vaccine in Fort McMurray:

• 75+: 505 people (69 per cent)
• 60-74: 4,800 people (70 per cent)
• 40-59: 15,656 people (67 per cent)
• 20-39: 14,428 people (51 per cent)
• 12-19: 3,863 people (56 per cent)

This is the current breakdown for who’s gotten the vaccine in the rural areas:

• 75+: 61 people (58 per cent)
• 60-74: 279 people (55 per cent)
• 40-59: 567 people (48 per cent)
• 20-39: 348 people (29 per cent)
• 12-19: 145 people (31 per cent)

Walk-In Clinic

Those who haven’t gotten their first shot don’t need an appointment in the next couple of days.

From 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, walk-ins are welcome at the MacDonald Island Park vaccination clinic.

Individual who take advantage of the walk-in option will receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Those are eligible to receive their second dose will still need to set up a time through Alberta Health Services.