Jan. 18 Covid-19 update
Monday, 18 January 2021. Posted in Shootin' the Breeze
Five new cases of Covid-19
for Pincher Creek region
South zone Covid-19 update
compiled from Alberta Health Services data
by Shannon Robison, Publisher of Shootin' the Breeze
The Pincher Creek region reported five new cases of Covid-19 yesterday while there was no change for Crowsnest Pass.
After nearly a week of increasing active cases in the south zone, yesterday’s numbers include a decrease of two — a step in the right direction.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney issued a statement this morning saying the province will run out of vaccine for first doses by the end of today or early tomorrow and planned vaccination of First Nations and Metis individuals and seniors over age 75 has been put on hold.
“Accordingly, no more new first-dose appointments will be accepted and some first-dose appointments already booked will be rescheduled over the coming days to accommodate limited supply,” the statement reads.
“Doses have been allocated to ensure second doses are available for committed appointments.
Nearly 90,000 Covid-19 vaccinations have been given so far, including first doses to staff and residents at all 357 long-term care and designated supported-living facilities in the province.
Pfizer announced last week that shipments of vaccine from its European facility would be cut by 20 to 80 per cent over the next few weeks will have an impact on immunization across Canada.
“Alberta currently has the capacity to deliver 50,000 doses per week. In March, we expect to be able to administer about 200,000 doses per week. But we do not have the supply to match” says the premier’s statement.
In her update today, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health, made note that compared to Oct. 18 when there were just over 3,000 active cases and 120 people in hospital, there are nearly four times the active cases and more than six times the hospitalizations today.
“All of this means we are making progress, but we are not out of the woods yet,” she said. “So as we ease the restrictions on three province-wide measures today, please continue to take every precaution you can and make good choices.”
When asked if there would be enough vaccine to provide second doses for those who have already had initial injections, Dr. Hinshaw said Alberta Health Services is prioritizing second doses already booked and doesn’t anticipate having to push beyond the 42-day interval between first and second shots.
“At the moment it does seem we have enough for all who have booked,” she said.
Easing of restrictions for outdoor gatherings, personal services and funeral attendance started today. All other enhanced public health measures remain in effect until at least Jan. 21, 2021, and must be followed by all Albertans, businesses, organizations, service providers and visitors to the province.
Links to the details for each restriction are included below the south-zone specifics.
Alberta Overview
Sunday, Jan. 17 – 117,311 total cases
Data updated Monday, Jan. 18
474 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in today’s update.
5,592 people were tested, for a provincial positivity rate of about 5.4 per cent.
There are 11,923 active cases, a decrease of 311 from the previous day.
774 recoveries brings the total to 103,941 and a recovery rate of about 89 per cent.
739 people are hospitalized with 120 admitted to intensive care units.
Eleven new Covid-related deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. This includes one that occurred Jan. 5, one on Jan. 9, five on Jan. 15, one on Jan. 16 and three on Jan. 17.
1,447 Albertans have now died, and the Covid-19 mortality rate for the province is about 1.2 per cent.
There are 1,007 active and 7,248 recovered cases at long-term care facilities and supportive/home-living sites. To date, 956 of the 1,447 deaths (66 per cent) have been in these sites.
Terminology for reporting school changes was updated today.
“Alert” will refer to schools with one to four active cases and outbreak to five or more. The term “watch” will no longer be used.
There are 181 cases of Covid-19 in total at 133 schools.
131 schools are on alert with a total of 170 cases and two schools have outbreaks with a total of 11 cases.
In-school transmission has likely occurred in 17 schools, with 14 having one new case as a result.
Schools with two or more cases will continue to be reported on the Alberta Health school status map and included in Shootin’ the Breeze daily reports.
Parents will continue to be notified of single cases in their child’s school and further supports will be initiated when there are two or more cases in a school.
Covid-19 R values were released again today. Also known as the reproduction number, it describes whether cases are currently increasing, decreasing or staying the same (ie. the average number of people the someone infected with Covid-19 will infect).
If the R value is one, then an infected person will, on average, infect one other person. If an R value is below one, this means the rate of transmission was decreasing during that period. If it is above one, it was increasing.
Covid-19 R values
Alberta
Jan. 11 to 16 – 0.84 (0.81 to 0.86)
Jan. 4 to 10 – 0.90 (0.87 to 0.92)
Dec. 28 to Jan. 3 – 0.99 (0.97 to 1.01)
Dec. 14 to 20 – 0.92 (0.90 to 0.93)
Dec. 7 to 13 – 0.98 (0.96 to 1.00)
Edmonton zone
Jan. 11 to 16 – 0.81 (0.77 to 0.85)
Jan. 4 to 10 – 0.80 (0.76 to 0.82)
Dec. 28 to Jan. 3 – 0.92 (0.89 to 0.95)
Dec. 14 to 20 – 0.89 (0.86 to 0.93)
Dec. 7 to 13 – 1.0 (0.98 to 1.03)
Calgary zone
Jan. 11 to 16 – 0.79 (0.79 to 0.85)
Jan. 4 to 10 – 0.96 (0.92 to 1.00)
Dec. 28 to Jan. 3 – 1.02 (0.99 to 1.06)
Dec. 14 to 20 – 0.97 (0.97 to 1.00)
Dec. 7 to 13 – 0.92 (0.90 to 0.95)
Rest of Alberta
Jan. 11 to 16 – 0.88 (0.84 to 0.92)
Jan. 4 to 10 – 0.97 (0.93 to 1.01)
Dec. 28 to Jan. 3 – 1.06 (1.01 to 1.10)
Dec. 14 to 20 – 0.90 (0.85 to 0.95)
Dec. 7 to 13 – 1.01 (0.98 to 1.06)
South Zone Specifics
Sunday, Jan. 17 – 5,541 total cases
Data updated Monday, Jan. 18
16 new cases were reported in today’s update
495 people were tested for a positivity rate of about 3.6 per cent, which is below the provincial rate.
There are 413 active cases, a decrease of two from the previous day.
18 recoveries brings the total to 5,062, for a zone recovery rate of about 91 per cent.
28 people are hospitalized with six admitted to intensive care.
66 residents have died and Covid-19 has a mortality rate of about 1.2 per cent for the zone.
There are nine outbreak sites across the south, which are detailed in the community breakdown below.
One south-zone school has an alert of two to four active cases and new terminology for school reporting is in use as of today.
The zone of current hospitalization and current ICU admission are based on location of hospitalization, not zone of patient residence. For example, a Pincher Creek resident hospitalized in Calgary would be categorized as an active case in the Pincher Creek region but hospitalization statistic would show in the Calgary zone.
Outbreaks are normally updated by Alberta Health Tuesdays and Fridays, and declared over when four weeks have passed with no new cases. This means not all outbreaks have current transmission or active cases.
Know the symptoms of Covid-19 and what to do if you, or someone you know, is experiencing them.
Learn about symptoms, testing, isolation and quarantine
Know and understand the restrictions currently in place until at least Jan. 21, 2021:
* All restrictions have been reviewed on Jan. 7 to ensure this is the most up-to-date information available as little tweaks are often made in the background.
Gatherings
Travel and visitors
Wedding and funeral services
Faith services
Retail and home-based businesses
Restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and cafes
Hotels, motels, hunting and fishing lodges
Personal and wellness services
Health, social and professional services
Entertainment and recreation facilities
Sports and physical activities
Performances
South Zone Community Breakdown
Sunday, Jan. 17
Data updated Monday, Jan. 18
* Indicates a change in statistics since the previous day’s report
Pincher Creek Region – 146 total
29 active, 114 recovered, 3 deaths
* 5 new active
349.3 per 100,000
Pincher Creek Region includes the Town of Pincher Creek; MD of Pincher Creek and its hamlets of Beaver Mines, Lowland Heights, Lundbreck, Pincher Station and Twin Butte; the Village of Cowley and Piikani Nation.
Crowsnest Pass – 18 total
6 active, 12 recovered
94.9 per 100,000
Fort Macleod – 88 total
19 active, 66 recovered, 3 deaths
* 2 new active
MD of Willow Creek in Calgary zone = 133.9 per 100,000 (22 active in MD)
Cardston County/Kainai – 398 total
108 active, 284 recovered, 6 deaths
* 1 new active, 1 new recovery
656.2 per 100,000
Acute-care outbreak – Cardston Health Centre
Declared Jan. 12 by Alberta Health Services. As of Jan. 18, two individuals associated to the facility have tested positive for Covid-19. At this time, visitation to the health centre is restricted to designated family and support persons, and end-of-life situations. AHS encourages families to continue meeting with their loved ones virtually. Restrictions are in place to minimize any risk of transmission to and from outside of the health centre. See https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page17001.aspx for more information on family support and visitation.
I.D. Waterton – 0
0 per 100,000 – open status
City of Lethbridge – 1,587 total
143 active, 1,434 recovered, 10 deaths
* 11 new active, 10 new recoveries
144.5 per 100,000
Supportive living/home living outbreak — The View at Lethbridge (Jan. 12)
Public outbreak site – SASHA House (Jan. 12), Lethbridge Alpha House, Rehoboth Christian Ministries (Jan. 15)
School outbreak site – Gilbert Paterson Middle School (alert – 2 to 4 cases)
Lethbridge County – 484 total
27 active, 450 recovered, 7 deaths
* 2 new active, 4 new recoveries
107 per 100,000
Supportive living/home living outbreak — Bethesda Care Home in Picture Butte (Dec. 22)
Public outbreak sites – Rehoboth Christian Ministries in Coaldale (Jan. 8)
County of Warner – 154 total
10 active, 142 recovered, 2 deaths
* 1 new recovery
91 per 100,000
MD of Taber – 324 total
7 active, 311 recovered, 6 deaths
* 1 new recovery
37.1 per 100,000
City of Brooks – 1,361 total
8 active, 1,339 recovered, 14 deaths
* 1 new recovery
41.5 per 100,000
County of Newell – 150 total
5 active, 143 recovered, 2 deaths
* 2 new active
61.8 per 100,000
County of Forty Mile – 116 total
2 active, 112 recovered, 2 deaths
31 per 100,000
Cypress County – 144 total
3 active, 141 recovered
26.7 per 100,000
City of Medicine Hat – 516 total
36 active, 469 recovered, 11 deaths
* 1 new active, 2 new recoveries
52.9 per 100,000
Supportive living/home living outbreak site – Meadowlands
Acute-care outbreak – Medicine Hat Regional Hospital
Declared Jan. 14 by Alberta Health Services. As of Jan. 18, three patients and two healthcare workers associated to this unit have tested positive for Covid-19. At this time, visitation to the unit is restricted to designated family and support persons, and end-of-life situations. AHS encourages families to continue meeting with their loved ones virtually. Restrictions are in place to minimize any risk of transmission to and from outside of the health centre. See https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page17001.aspx for more information on family support and visitation.
Oyen region – 42 total
10 active, 32 recovered
Special Area 3 – 285.6 per 100,000 (7 active in area)
MD of Acadia – 815.2 per 100,000 (3 active in MD)
Special Area 2 – 109.7 per 100,000 (5 active in area, not all of which is in south zone)
Alberta Information by Zone
Sunday, Jan. 17
Data updated Monday, Jan. 18
* Indicates a change in statistics since the previous day’s report
Calgary Zone
44,847 confirmed cases +185
4,463 active cases -147
39,921 recovered cases +327
212 in hospital
49 in intensive care
463 deaths +5
Edmonton Zone
49,307 confirmed cases +177
4,237 active cases -66
44,310 recovered cases +238
366 in hospital
47 in intensive care
760 deaths +5
Central Zone
8,242 confirmed cases +33
1,148 active cases -34
7,024 recovered cases +67
60 in hospital
10 in intensive care
70 deaths
South Zone
5,541 confirmed cases +16
413 active cases -2
5,062 recovered cases +18
28 in hospital
6 in intensive care
66 deaths
North Zone
9,237 confirmed cases +58
1,636 active cases -68
7,513 recovered cases +125
73 in hospital
8 in intensive care
88 deaths +1
Unknown Zone
137 confirmed cases
26 active cases
111 recovered cases
0 deaths