The number of confirmed active COVID-19 cases in St. Albert continues to fall.
On Thursday the province reported a drop of 84 active COVID cases in the city since Tuesday. Data current from Jan. 26 showed 595 active cases of the virus, while the number of St. Albertans who have died from the virus remained at 56.
Sturgeon County cases have also fallen since Tuesday. The province reported 219 active COVID cases compared to 232 reported earlier this week. The number of people who have died from the virus in the County remained at 15.
Data from the province showed 75 active COVID cases in Morinville, a decrease of nine since Tuesday. The number of people who have died from COVID remained at 14.
Provincial data showed 44,301 active COVID cases Alberta-wide.
While active cases of the virus dropped, hospitalizations continued to climb in Alberta.
Current data from the province showed 1,469 COVID hospitalizations and 106 people in the ICU with the virus.
During a COVID update, Premier Jason Kenney said Thursday ICU numbers for COVID have been trending down.
“[It’s] worth noting that 28 per cent of the 106 COVID patients in intensive care are incidental COVID cases. They tested positive but … they're not there because of COVID,” he said.
Kenney also said 40 per cent of COVID hospitalizations are incidental. However, Kenney said that number has gone up in the past week or two.
“There is real stress in the system,” he said.
Alberta's chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced a change to PCR testing during the Thursday update.
Children under the age of two can now get a COVID-19 test through an Alberta Health assessment centre.
“This is a pragmatic approach since rapid tests are currently not licensed for use in children under the age of two,” said Hinshaw.
Hinshaw said the ability to be tested affects the length of isolation time, as children under two can’t be immunized.
If the child is symptomatic and tests positive for COVID-19, the child will need to isolate for 10 days.
If the child is symptomatic and tests negative, the child can leave isolation once symptoms resolve.
